Need help? Johnstown Women's Help Center assists victims of domestic violence

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WJAC) — In 2018, the Women's Help Center in Johnstown received 696 calls for help through their 24-hour hotline. With October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the center wants to remind the community that they're here to help.

The Women's Help Center is a nonprofit domestic violence agency open to anyone throughout Cambria and Somerset counties, all you need to do is ask for help. There is someone available every day at any time of the day the 24-hour hotline number is 800-999-7406.

"Domestic violence does not discriminate so it effects individuals and families of all races, religions and socioeconomic status. The mission of the women's help center is that we’re striving to end domestic violence through empowerment, support and education," said co-executive director Amanda Johnson.

The help center provides individual and group counseling. They also have an emergency shelter with 36 beds open to anyone in need of a safe place to stay when leaving their abuser.

Johnson says a lot of the people coming into the shelter are starting from scratch and have nothing with them. She says they're able to provide them basic resources like hygiene products and clothing.

Staff also help victims find resources outside of the shelter like getting jobs or finding a new place to live when they're ready.

"We also do legal advocacy so we help victims through the protection from abuse orders, the beginning of that process the filing and then just being a support to them while they go to court," says Johnson.

Johnson says educating people who come into the center about domestic violence is one of the most important things they do.

"People believe that it’s just the physical abuse, so we have victims that come in and say, well, 'He didn’t lay his hands on me or she didn’t lay her hands on me.' Domestic violence is more than that, it’s a pattern of abuse that is used to gain power and control over someone.It can also be sexual abuse, financial abuse, the mental and emotional abuse that comes along with those different aspects also," says Johnson.

Staff try to provide victims with as much knowledge and resources they can so they can get back on their feet.

If you want to help out the Women's Help Center, you can make a monetary donation or drop off supplies like clothing or hygiene products.

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