What is S.O.S.?
Eight years ago, long before the phrase ‘battered women’ appeared in print, S.O.S. was finding shelter for 'battered' women and their children and alerting the public to their desperate plight. We sought to put into practice the belief that every human being has the right to live a life free of pain, fear and humiliation.
...we have succeeded in bringing this urgent issue to the attention of the public. However, much still needs to be done to see that no woman is forced to live in an environment of terror and degradation. The cycle of violence must be stopped so that a new generation of emotional ‘cripples’ is not perpetuated.
S.O.S. is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Violence does not occur on schedule. We retain round-the- clock coverage so that no woman goes unaided.
For 24 Hour Help Call Our Hotline 201 - 944-9600
What Are Our Services?
A supportive, safe, warm environment where women can be with their children in a peaceful, non-violent setting, while they work toward positive re-construction of their lives.
Individual and group counseling by concerned staff, some of whom were once battered women themselves. Counselors work with battered women to build self- confidence and establish new lives. ‘Rap’ sessions offer opportunities for women to express personal feelings of guilt or oppression, and at the same time provide a warm, supportive atmosphere in which women may come to understand that they are not alone.
Our legal advisors work closely with battered women to inform them of their legal rights concerning custody, formal complaints, restraining orders, etc. Help is also available for any necessary communications with police. Accompaniment to court is provided if necessary.
Counselors offer assistance in finding and obtaining suitable housing and employment upon leaving the shelter.
Welfare assistance is available from our Low Income Women’s Re-establishment Advocacy Project. WRAP counselors help to obtain emergency temporary welfare and security deposits for women and children who are homeless and without funds.
Help in ‘rebuilding’ the child who has been psychologically and emotionally damaged by the violent home. Our skilled counselors will help with school transfers and new school placements, and will supervise children in a kind and caring atmosphere while the mother is out looking for a job.