Alternatives to Violence (ATV) is in its 29th year of serving victims of crime in Southern Larimer County.

October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Our small, but mighty agency has been very, very busy with a 36 percent increase in clients needing services and unfortunately a 35 percent decrease in donations. Domestic Violence Awareness Month creates a special opportunity each year to raise awareness and visibility of an issue that touches each of us where we live, whether we realize it or not. Domestic violence impacts every aspect of our community; law enforcement, housing, health care, poverty, employee productivity, schools, education and our children — our future generation that witness violence and the role-modeling potential of repeating the cycle of violence and victimization.

A victim service, nonprofit agency is a mirror or reflection of a community and in these unprecedented, economic times it is even more challenging as we see more individuals/families/small children staying in cars, garages or remaining in the cycle of abuse because the unknown is equally as threatening as staying in an abusive relationship. Imagine tomorrow you have to leave your home with only what you can carry or if you have a car, whatever you can pack into it. You get to the local victim service agency and find out that that day/week all the surrounding shelters are full. You have no choice, but to return home.  READ MORE