Faith House offers support

For victims of domestic violence, a strong support system is important.
Faith House offers that support and a haven for victims and their children.
Cindy Triche, Outreach Director for Faith House in Vermilion Parish, spoke Tuesday afternoon to the Abbeville Kiwanis Club about how the group helps victims.
“Our shelter is Lafayette,” Triche said. “Women from Vermilion Parish go there when they need to be safe.”
Faith House has seven outreach offices, including the one in Vermilion Parish.
“We help them with protective orders,” Triche said. “We go to court with them for support. We try to get legal assistance for pro bono work. Most of them leave and they don’t have any money. Faith House has hired on an attorney who does assist at the outreach offices.
“We walk them through the whole process of a protective order.”
The outreach offices offer support groups.
“We have support groups every week for women and children,” Triche said. “We work with them individually on goals.”
Triche said legislation has helped in recent years.
“Laws have changed in favor of victims in the last few years,” Triche said. “They are finally paying attention that domestic violence is going on and that it is very dangerous.
“Every day on the news there is someone killed from domestic violence and most of those women are trying to leave.”
Triche said that leaving is the most difficult time for the victim.
“The safest time is when she is the situation because she knows where things are coming from,” Triche said. “The most dangerous time is when she finally decides to leave. There was a woman in Acadiana who had her bags packed. She was shot and killed. People always ask why the women just doesn’t leave.
“That’s why.”
Triche said unfortunately some of the women do go back into situations where domestic violence exists.
“They still love that person and want to fix them,” Triche said, “especially if they have children.
“They will try to make things work.’
She said that is why support from family and those close to the victim must never go away.
“A lot of families do get upset with the victim for going back,” Triche said. “I will get calls from family members saying they have had it. I tell them that she needs you. When she is finally at a point where she sees that she can get away and be safe, then she is going to need that support from family and friends.
“If you are not there, then she may never leave.”