LOS ALTOS, Calif. — Local woman, Ruth Darlene, founder and executive director of WomenSV, earns two national awards from DomesticShelters.org, a Midpeninsula Media Center award, and a $250,000 grant by Santa Clara County for her work helping women who feel unsafe in their own home.
Darlene was honored for her stellar work helping women in the throes of an abusive relationship and also bringing awareness of covert abuse and coercive control by training police officers, therapists, physicians, legal counsel, and others within the judicial system.
Along with the emphasis on training and education, WomenSV is also different from other domestic violence agencies in that Ruth assists women facing all forms of abuse including non-physical violence such as financial, legal, emotional, technological, and the many other ways that the abuser can keep control of his partner. Ruth has counseled women whose partner threatened he would take away their children, render her homeless, and ruin her career.
These victims of “hidden” abuse are in every socio-economic demographic of the Bay Area. The abusers are often smart, charming, and calculating and keep their abusive behavior behind closed doors. The recent passing of SB 1141 into law under Family Code 6320 incorporates coercive control into the definition of domestic violence and will help Ruth and her team promote the right of every woman and child to live in peace and safety in their own home.
WomenSV has helped over a thousand women since its inception in 2011. Ruth’s tireless efforts have earned her several outstanding recognitions this year:
* DomesticShelters.org National Program/Shelter of the Year (< $500,000);
* National Program/Shelter Executive of the Year (< $500,000)
* Midpeninsula Media Center Local Hero Award
* Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Grant of $250,000
Additional details can be found here:
Domestic Shelters Purple Ribbon Awards – https://www.domesticshelters.org/awards/winners
Midpeninsula Media Center Local Hero Award – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0iCv44FuyU
Board of Supervisors $250K grant announcement – https://www.losaltosonline.com/community/womensv-receives-250k-from-county/article_e79dbe28-d602-11eb-a04f-4f53f61352f6.html
Learn more about WomenSV at https://www.womensv.org/
Related link: https://www.womensv.org/
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