By WOMEN’S INITIATIVE
The View from Venus has dealt with heavy stuff this year. For our penultimate column of the semester, we would like to offer some resources for anyone dealing with some of the issues we have discussed and for anyone who would like to help; many of these organizations need volunteers. The phone numbers listed are 24/7 hotlines. If you choose to go to any of the websites, please make sure that you are in a safe space, and on a computer that is not being monitored.
Domestic Violence:
Equinox is a service organization in Albany; they “provide a vast array of services for people in need. Services include residential programs for homeless youth and victims of domestic violence, counseling services, advocacy, outreach, and prevention.” For information about accessing these services you can visit equinoxinc.org or call their hotline at 518-432-7865.
Love Is Respect is a site designed to “provide a safe space for young people to access information and help in an environment that is designed specifically for them, and ensure confidentiality and trust so young people feel safe and supported—online and off” using peer advocates. They have an online chat at loveisrespect.org; the phone hotline is 866-331-9474 or 866-331-8453 (TTY); or text loveis to 77054.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline “provides crisis intervention, information and referral to victims of domestic violence, perpetrators, friends and families.” They can offer assistance finding a shelter and other local services. Their website is thehotline.org, or you can call the hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233), 800-787-3224 (TTY), or 206-787-3224 (video phone for deaf and hard of hearing callers).
New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence provides “effective and appropriate services to victims of domestic violence”. Online at nyscadv.org, or call the hotline at 800-942-6906, 800-818-0656 (TTY), 800-942-6908 (Spanish), or 800-780-7660 (Spanish TTY).
Rape and sexual assault:
The Crime Victim and Sexual Violence Center is run by Albany County and provides services including free medical care for rape victims. More information at albanycounty.com/cvsvc, or call the local hotline at 518-447-7716.
The New York Coalition Against Sexual Assault runs the NYS Hotline for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence. They’re online at nyscasa.org or call the hotline, 800-942-6906 (English), 800-818-0656 (English TTY), 800-942-6908 (Spanish), or 800-780-7660 (Spanish TTY)
RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) is “the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization,” offering tons of resources for survivors of sexual abuse as well as those who want to combat it. Their online hotline (chat) is online.rainn.org, or you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) for help from the RAINN center nearest to you.
Reproductive Health:
The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals has a number of resources about reproduction, including sexually transmitted infections, most available in both English and Spanish. Their site also has a tool to help you decide which birth control is right for you.
Planned Parenthood “provides comprehensive reproductive and complementary health care services in settings which preserve and protect the essential privacy and rights of each individual” including low-cost gynecological care and birth control. Their website is plannedparenthood.org and their national number is 800-230-PLAN (7526); or call their local health center (855 Central Ave in Albany), at 518-434-5678.
