Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center Shelter play-room helps children who have witnessed family violence breakdown their isolation in the unique environment of the safe and secure shelter; children who may not respond to talk therapies often can express and process feelings through play. The Center provides a place for victims and their children over 4000 times a year.

(Burnet, Blanco, Llano & Lampasas Counties) For many living in the beautiful Hill Country, October means the entry of fall with cooler nights and the abundance of harvest colors associated with pumpkins, deer corn, and dropping leaves. Some view October as the official end of summer and the beginning of the harvest season. For those involved with the Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center (HLFCC), October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) for Burnet, Blanco, Llano and Lampasas counties, throughout Texas and across the nation.

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Family Crisis Center serves the community by raising awareness about the problem of family, dating and sexual violence. Texas Department of Public Safety’s
(DPS) Uniform Crime Reports indicates that in Texas 120 women were killed by an intimate partner in 2006. Local authorities with the 33rd & 424th Judicial Districts report that family and or sexual victimizations thus far for 2008 include: 63 child sexual abuses, 3 felony domestic violence, 12 adult sexual abuses, 1 elder abuse, 2 adults molested as children and 4 stalking victimizations. The Family Crisis Center says that many family and sexual violence crimes are not reported to law enforcement. The Crisis Center does not require victims to report to authorities. “Victims have the right not to report,” said Cornelia Campos, Bilingual Outreach Counselor, who has seen a dramatic increase in the number of clients seeking services in recent years. Campos added, “We provide services while educating victims so that they can make their own choices in a safe and secure environment. Leaving is the most dangerous time for a victim so safety planning is of the utmost importance.”

“Victims’ services are important but also are efforts toward primary prevention,” said Alma Lahmon, HLFCC Executive Director. “New emphasis is on activities which are rooted within the community. These can be initiated by a caring citizen seeking to raise awareness on the perceptions of violence and or any other invested advocate.” The Center supports these pursuits as a resource for information and trainings. Lahmon stated, “Ultimately, the Crisis Center’s goal is to end family, dating and sexual violence. We support grass roots efforts with specific presentations and education for a better understanding of all the complex issues related to family, dating and sexual violence.” Lahmon continued, “Our Primary Prevention program is working to solve the problem at its starting point. Counted amongst our most successful prevention education programs is our Healthy Relationships curriculum offered throughout the area at local middle and high schools.”

Lana Counts, HLFCC Prevention Educator, said, “Healthy Relationships curriculum has made a difference in interrupting the generational cycle of violence as students are educated on the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships. The curriculum is offered free to schools and is presented by a trained prevention educator. We teach youth awareness of the information and tools needed to make non-violent choices.” Any school, person or group interested in primary prevention may call Counts (often out of the office at schools) or Julie Douglas, HLFCC Program Director, at 830-693-3656.
Douglas said, “Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October is a reminder that all citizens are implicated in domestic violence efforts because the defense of men, women, children and families against violence is just. It takes all of us working together to effectively attend to this serious issue. The engagement of men and women as new partners in the creation of violence free families is vital to our collective success. Even though October is an important time to raise family violence consciousness, let us not forget preventing violence and giving rise to violence free families is a daily, year round pledge.”

If you or someone you know has been a victim of family, dating or sexual violence call the Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center. Services are free, confidential and close to home. Call the 24/7 Crisis Hotline TTY and Toll Free 1-800-66-HELP-4 or Local Hotline (830) 693-5600; For administrative help: Business Line (830) 693-3656; Mailing Address: PO Box 805 Marble Falls, TX 78654; Web Site www.hlfcc.org Email hlfcc@nctv.com To learn more about HLFCC volunteer jobs call the Volunteer Coordinator at (830) 693-3656 or email stanford@nctv.com