‘Ready to help folks;’ domestic violence center expansion planned

XENIA — Expansion of the Domestic Violence Prevention Center of Greene, in Xenia, after more than 20 years, will create an outreach center to expand services to domestic abuse and sexual violence survivors in Greene County, according to leadership at the center.

The center helped more than 7,400 survivors last year by providing homecooked meals or just a safe spot to curl up and start over. Thirty percent of families in the county have been impacted in one way or another by domestic violence.

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$1 million had been committed to the center by The Greene County Commissioners from money received from the American Rescue Plant Act (ARPA).

“We know that so many families are struggling, and we’re here to assist them, we want to be ready to do that in a more effective manner, and this money is going to allow us to do that,” said Debbie Matheson, Executive Director Domestic Violence Prevention Center of Greene County.

“These ARPA dollars are intended to allow us to have an expansion opportunity in creating an outreach center for both domestic and sexual violence survivors to come and have counseling services, support groups and we’re just really excited about that opportunity,” said Matheson

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Escaping an abusive relationship can often be a long battle, sometimes taking survivors years to leave.

“We encourage family members not get frustrated but to stay there and listen and to direct them to the professionals. So, directing them to a domestic violence organization and violence prevention centers stand poised and ready to help folks,” said Debbie Matheson, Executive Director Domestic Violence Prevention Center of Greene County.

The center has a deep history of reducing the impact of domestic violence by providing shelter and advocacy for victims, a crisis hotline, and school-based prevention programs to prevent family violence.

As a project of the Greene County Welfare Department, the Greene County Domestic Violence Project began in 1979 in a two-bedroom Yellow Springs apartment. In 1980, the agency moved into its first house in Xenia.

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After moving a few more times, a house in the historic Waterstreet district became the permanent site until 2001. The Kathryn K. Hagler Family Violence Prevention Center became the shelter’s new home, with its construction completed in May 2001.

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