First Steps to Safety: Essentials for Children Impacted by DV

More than 300 women and children benefit from Genesis’ residential services each year, residing at our emergency shelter for up to eight weeks with the opportunity to then move into one of our transitional housing apartments on the same secure campus for up to twelve months. Genesis surrounds children with the care and support they require as they begin their journeys to abuse-free futures, establishing a sense of community, restoring stability and building a foundation of hope. Our holistic, evidence-based continuum of care helps establish feelings of safety and security by addressing their physiological needs at our secure location, establishing a climate of trust where children can relax and connect with fellow survivors. We then proceed through the healing process with established and innovative therapeutic methodologies all proven to reduce symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and minimize the harmful effects of the experiences they have endured. Each child has a unique treatment plan tailored to his/her needs, including any of combination of the following services:

Clinical Counseling: Genesis’ masters-level counselors specialize in working with survivors of domestic violence and focus on reducing PTSD symptoms that plague those who have experienced abuse. Children may benefit from Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), directive play therapy, expressive arts therapy, bibliotherapy, attachment therapy (focused on enhancing the trust and rebuilding the relationship between mother and child) and more. 

Occupational Therapy: Launched in 2021 as the first OT program at a domestic violence shelter in the U.S. and still the only one in the Dallas-Fort Worth, OT helps clients regain the ability to complete daily activities that may have become challenges in the wake of abuse. Our OTs identify and address problem areas associated with sensory processing, fine motor and developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder, academic performance and social participation. With a state-of-the-art sensory room on site, our therapists have the tools to help children regulate their nervous systems as they process their trauma.

On-Site Childcare, Pre-K and K-6 School: With our trauma-informed childcare staff and educators, children can grow and learn in safety and without fear of abuse or judgement alongside peers who have had similar experiences. Here children can keep up with their academic progress while they heal. Meanwhile, mothers can focus on rebuilding their lives knowing that their children are safe and well-cared for.

In an effort to normalize a child’s stay at Genesis, promote the attachment between mothers and their children, and aid in the creation of smiles and happy memories, Genesis provides childhood experiences like holiday celebrations and fun and educational adventures. Each October, Genesis holds a Fall Festival during which costume-clad child clients play games and get candy from Genesis staff, and families who spend the winter holidays with us have their wish-lists fulfilled with presents supported by generous donations from our community. Children in residence may go on field trips to the zoo, a museum or enjoy an outing to Six Flags. Teens can prepare for prom at an on-site pop-up “shop” stocked with donations of gently-loved formalwear, shoes and accessories. All of these events remind kids that they are cherished and help them create happy memories amidst these challenging times.

Domestic violence does not discriminate based on race, religion, language spoken, or socioeconomic status, meaning that our clients come from a range of backgrounds. In 2024, 56% of our clients identified themselves as Latinx, 21% as Black, 13% as White, 7% as two or more races and 3% as Other. Maintaining cultural sensitivity is key to understanding a survivor’s experience and helping them to cope within the world around them and their own communities. To this end, Genesis practices culturally competent care, recognizing that cultural distinctions may necessitate alternate approaches to healing.

Due to abusers’ common tactic of exercising control over a woman’s work and finances, the vast majority (over 85%) of our child clients’ mothers are unemployed or underemployed with little or no access to money. In 2024, 33% of clients reported earning $0 per year, 44% $1-$30,000, 19% $30,000-$75,000, and 4% $75,000 or more annually. Most of our clients lack the resources to access life-altering services that Genesis can provide with help from our community partners. The unique needs of children who experience abuse are largely unmet by other institutions due to the high cost of medical care—particularly for those with little or no insurance and/or financial means, and a lack of access to those services—especially for minority populations, immigrants and refugees, and people for whom English is not their native language. Genesis addresses this gap in access to lifesaving resources by ensuring that all programs are offered in both English and Spanish by our bilingual staff or hiring interpreters when other linguistic needs arise, and all of our services are provided at no cost.

Most importantly, Genesis serves individuals—people in need of support due to the horrific experience of abuse at the hands of a loved one. When they are in danger, have been traumatized, feel isolated and have been made to question their own worth, Genesis is here to provide help and hope. In addition to the 300 women and children who reside at Genesis each year, we serve another 3,000 individuals with nonresidential services.

As a leader in domestic violence services with worldwide educational initiatives, Genesis is positioned to offer the best care and support to domestic violence survivors that our resources allow. A donation from the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation will help us to continue these programs, transforming lives as we build toward a safer future.