Lori McCollum has a message for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

"It's not your fault," she said. "You don't deserve it, and there's help available."

That help is A Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Service program. The nonprofit organization is a 24-hour service, providing shelter, emergency care and counseling for victims of violence in La Salle and Livingston counties.

Since July 1, the ADV/SAS stationed in Streator has helped more than 200 people through its agency and provided 34 other clients with shelter.

"(Domestic violence and sexual assault) certainly exists in our community," said Margaret Morrison, executive director of ADV/SAS. "That doesn't mean our community is worse or better, but it does happen here. It's a very traumatic experience and we provide victims with an escape route."

The organization staffs 23 people and has 10 to 15 more volunteers work with them to provide services. Those services are broken into four categories: its 24-hour crisis hotline, an emergency shelter, legal/medical advocacy and counseling.

The agency depends heavily on government funding. Although the state cut approximately 63 percent of its funds heading into the year, the community did its part to help.

First Federal Bank recently donated a Nintendo Wii game system, controllers and a DVD-VCR to the organization for its clients. The United Way, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and other local churches also have helped the service group.

"It's been an amazing year," Morrison said. "We are dependent on government-issued money and our state money was cut, but the community has been so good to us."

While the community is certainly aware of ADV/SAS, its impact on the community and its services provided cannot be measured solely through statistics.

McCollum and Morrison have plenty of inspirational success stories to share.

Recently, Morrison said a woman raising her grandchildren fled a dangerous situation at home and stayed at the shelter with the children. She utilized the counseling advocate available to get an order of protection granted. Then she worked with staff to find a place to live and a job.

"Now, she's working hard to provide a stable home," Morrison said. "We're so happy for her. She's very excited looking forward to the holiday and appreciative."

There are many more similar stories.

"We've helped quite a few people get back to another state," McCollum said. "We've helped people get their own homes and re-establish their lives."

McCollum encourages any victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse to call the agency's 24-hour crisis lines at 815-673-1555 or 800-892-3375.

That's where the process starts. From there, the organization can address the victim's safety needs.

"Right away, we gauge how they'll feel away from home," McCollum said. "We evaluate their risk and we take any extra safety measures at our shelter location, which is confidential."

Once a client checks into the shelter, staff evaluates whether the client has eaten, needs medical attention, clothing or physical protection. The organization also asks them to develop their short- and long-term goals.

"We want to plan out a path with them to get them where they want to be," McCollum said. "We talk about financial resources and housing options. We want our clients to feel safe and stable once they leave here."

The average stay for a client ranges from two weeks to a month. Legal and medical advocates, as well as counselors, are available at their request.

If the client needs medical attention, the staff's medical advocate will go to the hospital with them to provide support.

If the client needs physical protection or needs to take legal action, a legal advocate is made available for services. The legal advocate will also attend court with them.

"We have someone go along to let them know what their rights are," McCollum said.

Once the client is more established, the agency provides a listing of jobs or housing in the area for them.

"We work closely with other agencies and churches to provide many services," McCollum said. "It's really a community effort."

When clients gets back on their own, they are encouraged to communicate any problems with the agency.

Along with its efforts with victims, ADV/SAS also provides prevention education to youths and adults throughout the area, known in local schools as "safe dating education." In La Salle and Livingston counties, they have educated a combined 12,000 students.

"We work with schools and other agencies to educate them," Morrison said. "We have various curriculum that we present based on the age group we're speaking to."

The ultimate goal of the organization is to make an extremely difficult and almost unbearable situation as easy as possible to get rid of for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

"If we can get victims out of those situations," Morrison said. "We feel like we can change their lives. We want to keep doing all we can to help."




The 24-hour crisis line for the A Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Service is 815-673-1555 or 800-892-3375.