FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Wendie Abramson
512.356.1599 (voice)
[email protected]
Julia Spann
512.356.1556 (voice)
[email protected]
SafePlace Expands Services to the Deaf Community
AUSTIN, TX – This week, Deaf Abused Women and Children Advocacy Services (DAWCAS) made the very difficult decision to close its doors after 9 years of service to Austin on behalf of the Deaf community. Here at SafePlace, we are well aware of the importance of the work that DAWCAS has done and the impact they made in the lives of Deaf women, children, and male survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Unfortunately, with DAWCAS closing its doors, there will be a gap in full access to services for members of the Deaf community as they seek safety and healing from interpersonal violence. Therefore, SafePlace has decided to move quickly to hire two new staff members, who are fluent in sign language, to ensure the Deaf community continues to be provided access to the services in their primary language. We hope to hire these positions in November, 2007. Visit SafePlace’s website at www.austin-SafePlace.org to review the new job postings.
DAWCAS will be greatly missed, not only as a service provider, but also as a resource for best practice standards in working with the Deaf community. SafePlace has always offered services to the Deaf community and has collaborated with DAWCAS for many years. We will continue to provide access to services and programs to survivors of rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence in Austin’s Travis County. Now, we will expand service delivery within the Deaf community and plan to be a resource to the Deaf community surrounding domestic and sexual violence.
About SafePlace
SafePlace exists to end sexual and domestic violence through safety, healing, prevention and social change. We envision a community free of rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence.