By Brooke Robichaux. LAPLACE β The CDC states that approximately 1 in 4 women and nearly 1 in 10 men will experience physical violence, contact sexual violence or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Metro Centers for Community Advocacy provides free, accessible and confidential services that provide shelter from the storm for survivors in the River Parishes and beyond.
Executive Director Darlene Santana, longtime advocate Evelena Conerly, and education and outreach coordinator Mark Medina shared ways Metro can help women, men and children in need.
Abuse can go on for decades or even become multi-generational. Metro aims to remove barriers to receiving help. No strings attached, absolutely free counseling and case management services are offered to individuals regardless of whether they are documented or undocumented or if they have insurance.
Transportation is always provided as needed. While Metro Centers for Community Advocacy was originally known as Metropolitan Center for Women and Children, the name was changed to reinforce the fact that resources are also available to men. In more than 20 years as an advocate, Conerly has seen trauma resurface for individuals once they get into a new relationship and realize what they experienced in their previous relationship was not normal.
Conerly said there is a lot of stigma surrounding domestic violence, compounded by beliefs that a spouse has the right to have a short fuse after a long day at work. Getting help after the fact is especially prevalent among victims of sexual assault. Metro is ready to help, whether minutes or years have passed since the incident. Survivors are given access to medical help and resources as an advocate helps them take the next steps.
