ODESSA, Texas — Leaving an abusive relationship isn't easy, but there's help out there. All you have to do is ask.
One of the services the Crisis Center of West Texas offers is an emergency 24-hour shelter for domestic violence victims.
We can't tell you where it is, for obvious reasons, but we can tell you how they operate.
“I can go 2-3 days with no hotline calls then I can get 10 calls in one day. So, it really depends. There's no ‘average day’ at the crisis center,” said Josh Kemper, the residential services coordinator for the center.
Kemper and his staff answer the calls of victims reaching out for help.
"My intake staff will actually answer the phone and my staff will do an assessment, a needs assessment with the person on the other line, the survivor. They determine whether or not they meet criteria to enter shelter,” said Kemper.
A person meets the criteria if they are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault or human trafficking.
“As an estimate, if I had to do that, probably 50% of the calls we get are domestic violence calls,” Kemper said.
The ultimate goal is to get the victim and their children back on their feet and functioning normally and out of the abusive setting.
They cover nine West Texas counties and sometimes take clients from out of the area for special reasons.
The center also takes client’s pets, the furry friends who have served as their security blanket through the tough times.
“We feel like it's important to keep that animal with them to help with their process of becoming a survivor,” said Kemper.
The shelter is set up to be a home away from home: it has laundry rooms, bedrooms, a fully stocked kitchen, a living room set up and even a playground for the kids. All for the victim’s comfort and peace of mind.
It's also open to women and men, because anyone can be a victim.
“It can happen to our daughters, our sons, husbands, wives, whatever. Domestic violence is real and it happens to everyone!” Kemper said.
The average stay at the shelter is 32 days. Some survivors leave hours after they get there. Some have stayed for a year or more. No one is forced to stay. They can leave whenever they want. But they can always come back if they need to.
“I've had several clients leave and ask that question, too. ‘Can I come back, if I need to?’ and the answer is always, yes! The door is always open, unfortunately,” said Kemper.
While men are victims too, most men, however, choose to take non-residential counseling. Kemper reports about 5 men have moved into the shelter in the last 6 months.
All services offered by the crisis center are free of charge.
If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, call the Crisis Center of West Texas and find out how they can help.
The 24-hour hotline is 1-866-627-4747.
All client information is kept strictly confidential and you do not have to file a police report to get help.