Hennepin County Attorney’s Office opens new space for the Domestic Abuse Service Center
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office on Tuesday opened a new space for a domestic abuse service center.
The Domestic Abuse Service Center (DASC) is in its 30th year of helping Minnesotans. It helps file protective orders, get pro-bono attorneys, and more.
The center gets around 30-40 clients per day. In the past year there has been an uptick in both the number of clients service and domestic violence deaths.
But DASC also celebrates the lives they’ve been able to save.
“Over the past year, Das has had over 20,000 contacts,” said Siri Lokensgard, DASC director. “[…]We are committed to eliminating barriers and ensuring victims are not alone during this difficult and stressful time.”
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS was at the center’s ribbon cutting, which includes a room for children to play and to just be a kid despite dealing with tough situations.
The center – located on the 14th floor at the government center – offers services that are available both in-person and online.
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, several resources are available to offer help. For immediate help, contact:
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.
- Minnesota Day One at 866-223-1111.
- The Women’s Advocates crisis line at 651-227-8284.
More than 12 million people just in the U.S. are affected by domestic violence every year, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
The organizations listed above can help connect victims to resources like safe shelter, advocacy, legal help and support groups.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline also offers tips for identifying abuse and supporting victims of abuse. CLICK HERE to see those.
Other organizations that can help include:
- Violence Free Minnesota at 651-646-6177 or 800-289-6177.
- STANDPOINT(formerly the Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project) at 612-343-9842.
- Mending the Sacred Hoop at 888-305-1650.
- Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault at 612-209-9993.
Minnesota also has a list of many other resources for victims of crimes that can be found HERE.