Crescent House Battered Women services program: A New Approach
Responding to battered women’s needs in the midst of a catastrophe
 Responding to battered women’s needs in the
midst of a catastrophe
In August of 2005,
Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
Few people could understand the devastation
to individuals, families, community
networks, property and the culture of
New Orleans. There
were many social ills and challenges that
were either created or exacerbated due to
the storm; and domestic violence was among
them. In this story about Crescent House, a
domestic violence program for Battered
Women, we learn how to respond to the needs
of battered women in the midst of a natural
disaster.
What we learn is that
Crescent House workers were victims of the
storm as well as the battered women that
they served. We also learned that being a
victim of the storm heightened Crescent
House staffs’ sensitivity and responsiveness
to the needs of battered women and how they
defined help. This video provides an example
for domestic violence service providers of
how to think outside the box regarding
service provision; and outlines lessons
learned from working in the context of a
natural disaster that are transferable to
other communities that are experiencing
challenges.
A film
by the Institute on Domestic Violence in the
African American Community in partnership
with Crescent House Battered Women’s
Services.
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