TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Magic Valley residents who are fleeing a violent or abusive situation can now get better help thanks to a community space opened by Voices Against Violence.
While it might not be the most well-known place in Twin Falls, The Voices Against Violence community space facility located on 2nd Avenue South is often the first step for someone trying to rebuild their life after being a victim of abuse or violence.
“Everybody is welcome,” said Noemi Juarez the Voices Against Violence education outreach coordinator. “Their stories are important, their journeys are important, their healing is important, so we wanted to provide a space where that can be prioritized.”
Up until recently, the facility was used as Voices Against Violence’s confidential shelter for women and children who were seeking refuge from situations of abuse, while receiving services such as case management and counseling.
“We have all those services, but they were all being kept at this location,” said Juarez. “So not many people know that we offer a robust number of services.”
The facility is no longer a shelter, instead, it’s a community space for any struggling community members to come to. By making this change, Voices Against Violence has been able to increase its number of case managers from two to eight and can now accept walk-ins
“We know that a crisis situation you can’t plan for, and so you need that availably 24/7,” said Grants Manager Joseph Simonson.
In Voices Against Violence’s 2019-2020 annual report, it shows that 865 appointments were had with survivors who were refugees, and with this new facility they are expecting those appointment times to increase by 175%.
“It's important to be able to just walk in and say hey I need help and be able to get that immediately,” said Simonson.
From 2019 to 2020 1,705 Magic Valley residents were able to be freed from abuse, and Voices Against Violence said the needs for their services increased during the pandemic and have stayed at that current increased level since
“I would say it is pretty predominant in our area,” said Juarez.
The All-client services community space is located at 302 2nd Avenue South in Twin Falls. Those seeking help can also contact the 24/7 anonymous helplines at 208-733-0100 and a text line at 408-675-2023
