Edited release
03/08/23
The Domestic Violence Intervention Program has announced that it is planning to build a new emergency shelter for victims of intimate partner violence in Johnson County.
According to a release from DVIP, the facility will provide a safe and secure space for victim/survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and human trafficking.
The shelter will feature private suites for families, communal spaces, and a variety of resources to meet the needs of victim-survivors and their children.
The new shelter will double the capacity of the current facility, which was built in 1993. DVIP’s current emergency shelter is at capacity 365 days each year and has been every day since the organization began in 1979.
The new building will be equipped with state-of-the-art security measures to ensure the safety of residents, staff, and volunteers. Trained staff will be on-site 24/7 to provide counseling, support, and advocacy services to victim/survivors and their families.
Kristie Fortmann-Doser, Executive Director of DVIP, says their current building has served them well for 30 years. However, the demand for emergency shelter services has continued to rise. In the last five years, the group has helped 38 percent more victim-survivors.
Groundbreaking for the project will happen in early May.