i'M o.K. Children's Visitation Center

     Southern Valley Alliance for Battered Women built and began operating the i'M o.K. Children's Visitation Center in 1996, after extensive work with families struggling with domestic violence specifically called for such a facility.
      At the Center, children can visit their non-custodial parents in a safe, comfortable setting. Supervised exchanges between custodial and non-custodial parents also are offered. Since late 1996, the Center has hosted more than 3100 visits and more than 1100 exchanges.
      For more information contact the center at 952-873-4216

24 Hour Crisis Line

     Beginning as a phone answered Monday thru Friday at Maxine Kruschke's house in 1983, the crisis line expanded to 24 hours per day, seven days per week in 1988. Since then, trained advocates have answered more than 12,000 first contact calls from abused women.

Women's Support Groups

     Women's support groups began in 1983, helping break down the isolation and address the misunderstanding so often faced by women being abused by their partners. Since then more than 2,400 support groups have been held. Free onsite childcare is available at all women’s support groups.

Legal Advocacy

     After a woman leaves a violent relationship, court orders for protection require that her batterer stay away and leave her alone. In 1985, Alliance staff and volunteers began providing legal advocacy throughout the civil court process. To date, they have attended over 3100 court hearings.

Criminal Justice Intervention Projects

     In 1993, the Alliance took legal advocacy a step further, initiating the Carver County Intervention Project. After receiving a phone call from the police regarding a domestic assault, the Alliance staff or volunteers contact women to offer help. They provide information and resources and work closely with the women on legal issues. In 1998, a similar effort began in Scott County.
      The projects have assisted more than 3,700 women.

Safe Homes

     Because women who are being battered literally may need to flee for their lives to save themselves and their children, the Alliance began placing women in safe homes in 1985.
      These homes are private homes where women and their children can stay with a family for up to three days while shaping longer term plans. Over 200 women have been sheltered in safe homes since 1985.

Domestic Violence Education Class

      In 2007 Southern Valley received the wonderful opportunity to begin presenting a Domestic Violence Education Class at the Shakopee Women’s Correctional Facility. 
      This class is a 12 week curriculum that is designed to help women understand what domestic violence is, how domestic violence has affected their lives and the lives of their children, and to gain new and insightful skills to assist them in developing healthy relationships. 
      It is our goal to help women at the correctional facility create new life patterns that will give them an opportunity to establish a productive lifestyle upon their release.

Living Violence Free Classes

     At the request of Scott County probation officers, the Alliance developed "Living Violence Free," a class for juvenile offenders. Begun in 1993, this class examines the effects of violence on the perpetrators and the victims and discusses ways to avoid violence.
      By court order, juvenile offenders must participate in the class. Beginning in 1995, the Alliance also began offering the class for Carver County juveniles. Over 700 groups have been initiated, with over 3,800 youth in attendance.

Presentations to Youth

     The Alliance makes presentations about resolving disputes without violence to the elementary grades at public and private schools and to Early Childhood Family Education and HeadStart classes.
      The Alliance also makes presentations at junior and senior high schools regarding dating violence and the effects of domestic violence on children. Begun in 1987, over 1,100 presentations have reached over 34,000 children and youth.

Community Education

     Domestic violence affects people of all ages, races, religions and socioeconomic levels. Rather than ask, "Why does she stay?", the Alliance community education program asks, "What in our community is keeping her there?"
      Since the Alliance's beginning in 1983, our community education programs have reached over 200,000 people face-to-face. Speakers explain that silence and misinformation allow batterers to continue to assault women. They teach what we all can do to stop domestic violence.
      The Alliance is committed to training professionals, i.e.: law enforcement, legal, judicial, medical, education, social service, business, clergy, about the cycle of domestic violence and its affects on all involved. Since 2000 The Alliance has provided over 160 trainings to over 3600 professionals in Carver and Scott Counties.

Latina Advocacy Program

     In an effort to provide support and services to our growing Hispanic community, Southern Valley Alliance launched the Latina Advocacy Program in 2007.
      This program assists Spanish-speaking victims of domestic violence through general and legal advocacy, support groups and community outreach. Victims can directly connect with this program by calling 952-873-4238.