DOVE’s services grow in response to range of community needs

Six years ago this spring, islanders launched The DOVE Project, Vashon’s domestic violence organization, which has grown exponentially since then and served 400 percent more clients last year than it did just three years ago.

In 2013, the year that Executive Director Betsey Archambault began with the agency, DOVE served 43 clients. Last year, Archambault said, it served 500 people. The spike in numbers reflects a change in how the agency tracks the services it provides, but Archambault said she made the change to accurately reflect the work staff members are doing. For example, they may have helped 10 clients that fit King County’s reporting criteria for domestic violence in a year, but many others have also sought them out for assistance — a change they began to notice in 2015, after they moved into their office at Courthouse Square.

“On Vashon, a lot of people do not know where to go for what. A lot of people ended up coming to us,” she added.

While some of those people were domestic violence survivors, others had experienced sexual assault. A smaller percentage were teens seeking assistance with difficult situations, while others were people — primarily women — asking questions about behavior in their relationships and hearing what staff members had to say in response. This last service is considered primary prevention. It is vital but hard to measure, Archambault said.

Statistics she provided from last year indicate the broad scope of issues staff members addressed. For example, staff responded to 432 phone calls and 220 walk-in visits as well as hundreds of emails, texts, and Facebook messages.

Much of their work focused on domestic violence, including legal assistance for several matters, from divorce to safety planning. But they also responded to other issues, including sexual assault, housing needs, elder support and mental health needs .

Despite the steep increase in the people DOVE helped in 2016, Archambault said, the agency’s budget increased only 40 percent, and more funding is necessary.

Overall, the island has shaped the agency, she added.

“We listen to what people want and try to make it fit,” she said. “The community made DOVE, and the community is still shaping DOVE to fit the needs of the island.”