Welcome to the latest blog post in our Community Spotlight series, where we highlight the remarkable individuals and organizations that make Frederick a great place to live and work. 

Today, we’re shining a light on Heartly House, an organization that has been a cornerstone of support for survivors of power-based violence since its founding in 1979. Heartly House’s commitment to creating a safe and nurturing environment for all survivors—regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or background—has made it an invaluable resource in our community. 

Let’s get into the history of this incredible organization and the profound impact it has on Frederick County.

What do you think makes Frederick a great place to live?

This community is committed to working together for a better Frederick County, and all the historic places that make it beautifully unique!

Can you share the history of Heartly House and how it has evolved since its founding in 1979?

When many think about power-based violence, women are often viewed as the primary faces of victimhood. Terms like “wife-beating” and “battered wife” can be found in historical documents dating back to the early movements seeking to make domestic violence a crime.

The first national legislation to address domestic violence as a crime was the Violence Against Women Act passed in 1994, but the roots of Heartly House, and the mission we uphold and have since expanded upon, were comprised of advocates who fought for justice and resources for survivors long before domestic violence was even considered criminal. Today, we thank them for our existence.

In 1977, the Junior Women’s Club of Frederick began investigating the problem of spousal abuse in Frederick County. At that time, there were no agencies in the county that directly addressed the issues of domestic violence, rape, or sexual assault.

In 1978, Club members compiled statistics and made a strong case to begin the Frederick County Task Force on Battered Spouses. The Task Force developed a program to meet the unmet needs of physically and sexually abused citizens. On December 4, 1979, they became incorporated as the Frederick County Advisory Board for Battered Spouses, Inc, eventually becoming what we know today as Heartly House, a place for all survivors – regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or culture – to seek a continuum of supportive care as they pursue healing.

Could you explain what a “trauma-informed lens” means and how it shapes the way your staff supports survivors?

A trauma-informed lens is a way of understanding and responding to individuals and situations that acknowledges the potential impact of trauma on a person’s behavior, emotions, and overall well-being. Trauma-informed care moves from “what’s wrong with you?” to “what happened to you?”. It emphasizes empathy and understanding the potential impact of trauma on a person. There are a few key ways this approach shapes how we work with survivors:

Safety: Creating a safe and predictable environment is crucial. This includes physical safety as well as emotional safety, meaning individuals feel respected and comfortable expressing themselves.

Trustworthiness: Building trust is essential for fostering open communication and collaboration. This involves transparency, consistency, and keeping promises.

Choice and Control: Empowering individuals to make choices and have control over their experiences is vital. This can be achieved by offering options and respecting preferences.

Collaboration: Working collaboratively with individuals and building partnerships is key. This fosters a sense of agency and respect for individual experiences.

Strength-Based: A trauma-informed approach acknowledges resilience and focuses on an individual’s strengths and coping mechanisms.

What are some common misconceptions about Intimiate Partner Violence (IPV) and sexual assault that you aim to address through your community awareness programs?

Common general misconceptions:

• That it only happens to women.
• That survivors/victims would leave if they really wanted to.
• That Sexual Assault is the victim’s fault somehow.
• The idea that intimate partner violence and sexual assault is rare.
• IPV, SA, and Human Trafficking often look very different than how media depicts them.
• That violence must be physical to be considered violence.

Common Heartly House misconceptions:

• That we only serve women and children, we serve ANYONE who is a survivor/victim.
• That we only offer shelter services, we offer much more!
• That we only serve survivors of domestic violence. It’s more accurate to say we serve survivors of power-based violence such as the many forms of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and child abuse.

How does Heartly House collaborate with other local organizations and agencies to support survivors and prevent abuse in Frederick County?

Through our Connect & Thrive initiative; we can do a lot but we can’t do everything. Thankfully we have a fantastic community and many other local organizations who specialize in specific services. In order to thrive, it’s important for survivors to have a strong foundation of support so we link arms with others in the community like the police department, FCPS, the hospital, and other local organizations.

What future goals or initiatives does Heartly House have planned to further support survivors and prevent abuse in the community?

• • In the 2024-2025 school year we will begin our first FCPS partnership for prevention, teaching healthy relationships in schools and libraries as a violence prevention strategy.

• • We have our Survivor Speakers Bureau, which consists of cohorts of survivors who have come to the place in their journey where they desire to share their story. It’s a program that aims to equip survivors with storytelling, creative writing, public speaking, and self-care skills they can utilize in their speaking efforts and beyond, while also providing awareness, education, and prevention of power-based violence in the Frederick community.

• • We are looking to expand our bystander intervention work with a special focus on college campuses and providing education on how students can “see something and say something.”

• • Every year we expand our efforts to bring the community an unforgettable opportunity to participate in our two major awareness events: Walk a Mile in Their Shoes (October) and Take Back the Night (April).

How does Heartly House ensure that its services remain free of charge for those in need?

We are able to utilize federal, state, and local grants, but we really rely on local foundations and individual donors to ensure funding remains consistent even when the grants don’t. We are grateful for the generosity of the Frederick County community!

Bonus: What message would you like to share with the Frederick County community about the importance of supporting survivors and preventing abuse?

We know abuse can be prevented, but it can’t just be people who work with victims and survivors who do all the work. We need the community to participate by seeking to educate themselves, supporting our work, requesting training at their place of work, and spreading the word about power-based violence. You don’t have to have special training to help someone. Statistics tell us that 80% of people will help someone in a crisis situation only if no one else is around, and only 20% will intervene even when there are others around. We want everyone to know that even one voice can make a major difference and produce a ripple effect in this community.

Conclusion

As a community, we are deeply grateful for the work of Heartly House and their dedication to supporting survivors and preventing abuse. Their trauma-informed care and collaborative initiatives with local organizations exemplify the spirit of unity and resilience that defines Frederick County. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Heartly House for sharing their inspiring journey and unwavering commitment to our community.

If you found this story as inspiring as we did, please share it with others interested in learning more about Heartly House’s impactful work. Together, we can continue to support and uplift those around us, ensuring a brighter future for all.

For more information, please go to https://www.heartlyhouse.org/ 

If  you or someone you know may be experiencing power-based violence, our 24/7 Hotline staff is equipped to offer support in crisis situations, guidance for those hoping to support a loved one, and access to resources for both survivors and secondary survivors alike. Call Heartly House any time, any day at 301-662-8800.