Domestic Dating Violence Survivor Advocacy Center

“The Survivor Advocacy Center is an outstanding group of caring and understanding women who are willing to hear your story, help you stand tall, and be by your side. Thank you to the SACFL for being by my family’s side!”

Domestic & Dating Violence

Domestic/Dating violence (also known as intimate partner violence) is a pattern of behaviors that one individual uses to gain and maintain power and control over another within the context of a family or intimate relationship.

Domestic violence can happen to anyone of any race, gender, age, sexual orientation, or religion. It happens to individuals of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.

Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, or economic. Often, more than one of these types of abuse can occur within a single relationship.

Abusive behaviors and tactics can include:

  • Put downs, name-calling, & humiliation
  • Coercion, threats, & intimidation
  • Isolation from friends, family, and co-workers
  • Preventing a partner from getting or keeping a job
  • Withholding or stealing money
  • Intentionally ruining a partner’s credit
  • Gaslighting (minimizing or denying the abuse/making you feel crazy)
  • Abusing pets or threatening pets
  • Sexual abuse, rape, forcible touching
  • Sexual coercion (like intimidating/guilting a partner to engage in sexual acts or situations that they are not comfortable with)
  • Hitting, slapping, punching, kicking, shoving
  • Pinching or hair-pulling
  • Strangulation
  • Using or threatening to use weapons against a partner

If you think you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, you are not alone and you are not to blame. The Survivor Advocacy Center is here to offer help and support.

Learn more about our available services by scrolling down.

Call our 24/7 Crisis Hotline today to connect with a trained advocate.
(800) 456-1172

Services

Ask someone who knows. Talk to someone who cares.

We are here to support you where you are right now—whether you’re seeking information, needing support, or ready to leave. The Survivor Advocacy Center of the Finger Lakes provides services to survivors of domestic violence, no matter their gender identity, race, age, or religious preference. All of our services are free, confidential, and voluntary.

24/7 Crisis & Support Hotline (800) 456-1172

  • Support & Information for survivors of domestic/dating/intimate partner violence 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
  • Whether you want to learn more about your options, or you just need someone to talk to, we’re here. We will believe and support you in every way we can

Domestic Violence Shelter

  • The SACFL provides emergency, temporary, safe housing for adults of all genders and their accompanying children who are currently experiencing domestic violence.
  • Our safe dwelling location is kept confidential.
  • We can provide housing for a total of 14 individuals.
  • To complete a screening process, call our 24/7 Crisis Hotline (800) 456-1172.

Assistance In Filing Orders of Protection (Restraining Orders)

  • Staff can help you obtain an order of protection for you, your children and your pets.
  • To learn more about Family Orders of Protection, click here.

Long-Term Safe Housing

  • The SACFL staff can assist you in finding safe housing beyond our designated safe dwelling, whether you’re in immediate need of housing or looking for a long-term solution after a stay in our dwelling.

Safety Planning

  • Staff are available to help you create a safety plan tailored to your situation. Safety plans are plans are sets of actions that can help lower your risk of being hurt by your partner. It includes information specific to you and your life that can increase your safety.

Individualized Case Management

  • Staff will assist you by helping you build a large and diverse safety net of support, and help you access community resources such as housing, employment, child care, clothing, food, and transportation.

Address Confidentiality Program

  • The SACFL offers a free, confidential mail-forwarding service for victims of domestic violence who have recently relocated.

Individual Counseling

Support Groups

Information and Referrals

  • Staff will provide information about and referrals to any needed services that are not offered by the SACFL.

Childcare

  • In order to make our services accessible, free childcare is available to our clients during their meetings with advocates.

Hospital Support

  • Trained staff are available to accompany you at the hospital if you need treatment due to domestic violence.
  • When you arrive at the hospital request an advocate for immediate, in-person support 24/7.
  • You can also call our hotline to request an advocate while on your way to the hospital or before you go.

Support at Police Stations/During Police interaction

  • If you are in a situation where police are called to or report to your location due to domestic violence, you can call our 24/7 crisis hotline for help talking to the police and knowing your rights.
  • If you choose to report an incidence of domestic violence, or are asked to make a statement to police, trained staff are available to accompany you throughout all steps of the reporting process.
  • You can call our hotline ahead of time to request an accompaniment, or you can request an advocate upon arrival for in-person support 24/7.

Advocacy during the criminal justice process

  • Information about the criminal justice process
  • Help facilitating communication between you, the courts, the police, and prosecutors/lawyers.
  • Accompaniment to court, police interviews, and visits with your prosecutor.

Support for Spanish-speaking survivors

  • Our 24/7 Crisis Hotline always has a Spanish-speaking advocate available to speak with you
  • SACFL has two full-time Spanish-speaking advocates to assist you in all your needs

Pet Safety

  • SACFL will help you in finding safe housing for any pets displaced by domestic violence.
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