Alternatives to Violence of the Palouse is a non-profit organization that goes above and beyond the definition of community service.
In 40 years of service, the organization
has grown from an underground network of volunteers running crisis hotlines from their homes to a robust agency dedicated to combating violence with services available to whoever requires them.
ATVP operates in three primary locations: Moscow, Pullman and a confidential shelter, as well as many satellite locations, such as the Latah County Courthouse and the University of Idaho Women’s Center. In the last fiscal year, ATVP served 828 individuals, of which 378 were first time recipients.
They responded to 63 callouts, which entails outside organizations calling and asking for an ATVP advocate to be present with a survivor. They gave presentations at 786 events, through which they were able to reach 10,385 individuals. This added up to 5,498 hours of service to violence survivors in the community.
“We started because we saw the need,” Andrea Piper-Wentland, the temporary associate director for ATVP, said. “We wanted to amplify (victims’) voices and their needs and raise awareness around these issues.”
With a mission to unite the community in the fight against violence, the organization utilizes a variety of programs and services. They operate through three main categories: domestic violence programs, sexual assault programs and their crime victims service center, which deals with harassment, identity theft, burglary, etc.
ATVP’s main service is in-person crisis intervention and their 24/7 crisis hotline, which can be found on their website.
“It’s nice to have someone to talk to whenever you might need,” Piper-Wentland said. “That could be someone who has recently experienced a traumatic event, or (experienced it) 20 years ago, but we’re here to support people throughout their lifetime.”
ATVP also offers information and referrals. As advocates, they help survivors make sense of information, like what their rights are and what options are available to them. They offer legal advocacy, such as helping someone obtain an order of protection, as well as medical advocacy, which can involve helping someone obtain a forensic medical examination or connecting them to victim’s compensation.
They offer support groups for survivors and have available funds to connect survivors to therapists in the community. The organization has a confidential shelter for any survivors
fleeing violence who need a safe place. They can house individuals typically for 30 days, but that can increase depending on the situation. While individuals are in the shelter, ATVP offers intensive case management to assist individuals in getting back on their feet.
The organization runs a resiliency-focused program called Flourish for individuals further along in the healing process that is led by a local therapist. They have trauma-informed yoga for survivors, which is currently taught online to accommodate for COVID-19. They also provide community presentations upon request and are active in raising awareness at festivals and other events. “And of course, we provide many of these services 24/7,” Piper-Wentland said.
ATVP influences and works closely with organizations on campus, including the Women’s Center and UI violence prevention programs like Green Dot. Students are highly encouraged to reach out to them, no matter the type of violence they are experiencing or when it happened.
The Women’s Center serves as a confidential reporting location for those who have experienced trauma. The professional staff undergo advocate training, which ATVP encourages, and works closely with ATVP to provide resources to student or staff survivors. They also received a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for violence against women, which allows them to enhance existing prevention education and advocacy on campus.
“They are incredibly beneficial for students,” Lysa Salsbury, director of the Women’s Center, said. “(ATVP) has a shelter that we’ve had students stay at before and they have a lot of campus community partners that we work with.”
Emilie McLarnan, associate director of UI’s Violence Prevention Programs, also works closely with ATVP. Students who come to McLarnan are often referred to ATVP regularly, which has led her to understand just how significant ATVP’s presence on campus is.
“They are a really valuable part of the response to sexual assault, dating violence and stalking for our students because they are confidential and not affiliated with UI, so they are outside of any Title IX reporting structure,” McLarnan said. “The advocates are pretty well- versed in university processes and they’re the ones who can really be there for someone the entire time they are dealing with an incident.”
The organization offers a volunteer program that anyone can participate in. Volunteers go through a 42.5-hour training program offered twice a year, after which they are required to provide a year of service, running the crisis hotline or doing outreach. They also have internship opportunities available. Individuals can make monetary donations through ATVP’s website or make food donations to their community pantry.
“We try to look for ways that are meaningful to the community and meet them, so pretty much any donations are acceptable,” Piper-Wentland said. The impact of ATVP in the community is immense. They reinforce the idea that having consistent access to resources and support is critical for survivors. Piper-Wentland, as well as the entire staff and those associated with them, firmly believe in this idea.
“We are here to be a consistent presence to help facilitate conversations in our community that are going to advance the mission of eliminating violence,” Piper-Wentland said. “This is such an important part of who we are.”