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Story by Susan O'Connor, Photos by Dero Sanford

There is a place of refuge in Northeast Arkansas for women and children who have been traumatized by domestic or sexual violence.

For 20 years, the Women’s Crisis Center of Northeast Arkansas (WCCNEA) has provided critical services to victims of abuse, but the shelter’s space is inadequate and state and federal funds are dwindling.

“Our current shelter facility is no longer adequate to house women and children due to its size, age, lack of plumbing capacity and security,” said Vicki Crego, executive director since 1999. “We are currently looking to purchase a much larger building that will better meet our needs.”

Staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Crisis Center provides safe housing, transportation, counseling, support groups, legal advocacy and basic necessities for abused women and their children for as long as it takes the women to get back on their feet. Crego noted that the capacity of the shelter is 18-20 people in a five bedroom and two-bath house, however, there are incidences when capacity is stretched to accommodate more.

In a typical month last year, 13 women and seven children were housed at the cramped shelter, and staff handled eight sexual assaults and fielded 220 crisis calls. Often in the summer months, numbers climb much higher.

“We typically have an influx of cases in the summer months,” assistant director Sherri Cothern said, “because many abused women will wait until school is out to leave so they don’t disrupt their children’s school year. One July, we had 17 children for the entire month. We tried to keep them busy with fun activities, such as swimming at the YMCA.”

Both locally and nationally, the statistics of abuse paint a shocking portrait. Arkansas ranks first in deaths due to domestic violence in African American women, and third among Caucasian women.

More eye-opening statistics provided by Crego include:

• One out of every three women treated in emergency rooms is a victim of domestic violence.

• 25 percent of all battered women are abused while pregnant. According to the March of Dimes, battering during pregnancy is the leading cause of birth defects and infant mortality — more than the birth defects caused by all the diseases for which people are routinely inoculated combined.

•50-70 percent of men who abuse their female partner also abuse children in the home. In homes with four or more children, this figure jumps to 90 percent.

• In one study of violent homes, all sons over the age of 14 attempted to protect their mothers, and 62 percent were injured in the process.

• About 50 percent of all homeless women and children in America are fleeing domestic violence.

• In 1970 there was no such thing as a shelter for abused women and their children.

Crego noted that these statistics probably don’t accurately speak to the prevalence, because domestic violence is one of the most under reported crimes. “Women are afraid to tell,” she said. “They are told that if they do, it will become worse. The number one reason women stay is fear.

“A lot of people think you can just pack your bags and leave,” she continued. “But it is not as simple as you would think. I learned very quickly that in certain cases leaving is the most dangerous thing you can do because at that point the abuser becomes most violent and many women get killed. It is important for women to understand what their options are. We give them support, counseling and information so they can leave safely.”

She also pointed out that women from all walks of life find themselves in abusive situations.

“So many people stereotype women who experience domestic violence,” she said. “But it can happen anywhere, to anyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, race or education.”

These statistics are more than just numbers to Crego. They represent real faces and tears and heartache. The Women’s Crisis Center has been her cause since 1996 when she began working as a student intern.

“I did not realize as a young student how prevalent abuse is,” she said. “I was really shaken to see the effects that domestic abuse has on children in particular. I worked directly with families answering the hotline, listening to these women’s stories about what was happening in their own homes. It was alarming, truly.”

An Arkansas State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in public administration, Crego has worked in every capacity at the shelter, gaining empathy for each employee’s tasks.

“I understand and relate to each staff member’s role, and I can respond to their needs because I know what it is that they do. I’m grateful for that compassion.” Crego said turnover is low at the Jonesboro shelter, even though the work can be grueling and burnout in the field in general is high.

“I quickly developed an absolute passion for this work because I was truly amazed at what the women I worked with endured, and then were able to move on to lead violence-free lives. And most importantly, so that children learn that domestic violence is not acceptable. That is where we stop the cycle is with the children.

“The people who do it, including myself — I can’t explain it — it is a passion. We have the opportunity to see the huge difference we can make in someone’s life,” Crego said with emotion. “One good success story can keep you going for a long time. Sometimes, when we are all feeling down and out, a success story will come along and we all are recharged.”

A need for funding
Started in cooperation with First Methodist Church in the 1980s, the Women’s Crisis Center was largely federally funded at that point but Crego said each year has brought more funding cuts.

“We are really looking to the community now,” she said. “We want to provide this service to women and children who need help. Eventually, it will be up to the community to sustain these services. We need the involvement of the faith community, government and civic leaders, concerned citizens and local businesses.”

Besides money, the shelter is always in need of basic housekeeping necessities, women’s and children’s pajamas, socks and underwear (new only, please), Wal-Mart gift cards, phone cards and non-perishable food items.

The Women’s Crisis Center’s fifth annual gala, Masquerade Ball, will be held Saturday, Jan. 24, at Jonesboro Country Club. Last year, the event raised $20,000 for the non-profit. For more information, call 972-9575.