Founded in 1977 as the Yolo County Sexual Assault Center, Empower Yolo was started by five women from Davis, CA who identified a need and began providing crisis intervention services out of an apartment. Soon thereafter, domestic violence services were added and the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center became Yolo County’s sole provider of specialized services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. In 1980, the agency received a federal grant to establish its first shelter and that fall, Harper House, the county's first shelter for battered women and children, was opened. In November of 1999, Empower Yolo’s current confidential shelter facility - the 25-bed Wallace and Vanucci shelter, opened to residents in place of Harper House. In 1982, a child abuse prevention component was added and in January of 1994 the agency added a child abuse treatment program. A few years ago, Empower Yolo launched My Strength Clubs in several local high schools. The all-male club operates under the motto “My Strength is not for Hurting” and meets weekly throughout the school year to discuss and explore the role of men in stopping dating and sexual violence against women. In 2013, Empower Yolo added the Be Strong program, an asset-based health promotion and violence prevention curriculum; empowering young women aged 13-19. Over the years increased need for services and growing diversity in Yolo County fostered the expansion of Empower Yolo’s services and in 1987 the Latina Outreach Program was launched. The Latina Outreach Program offers a full range of services including crisis intervention, counseling, legal and outreach services for monolingual, Spanish-speaking residents of Yolo County. In January 2014, in an effort to more effectively encompass our vast programs and services, as well as highlight the connection between client, organization and community, the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center became Empower Yolo, Providing Hope. Ending Violence. Today, Empower Yolo is the county’s largest provider of services to women and children and only residential and counseling agency whose primary purpose is to provide services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, child abuse, and teen dating violence. Empower Yolo free and confidential services include a 24-hour crisis hotline, 25-bed confidential shelter, emergency food, clothing and transportation, individual counseling and support groups, a child abuse treatment program, legal advocacy and assistance – including restraining order clinics each day of the week, domestic violence and sexual assault response teams, Latina outreach, prevention and education programs in local schools and to our community at large, social service advocacy, and information and referrals for both victims of violence and their family members. Empower Yolo free and confidential services include:
• 24-Hour Crisis Line | Trained Crisis Line Advocates provide crisis intervention, emotional support, information and referrals to victims of violence 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Emergency Shelter | The Wallace Vannucci Shelter provides safe and confidential shelter for up to 14 weeks. More than just a temporary refuge, the shelter also provides a comprehensive empowerment program designed to assist survivors of domestic violence in becoming more independent, more empowered, and free from violence.
• Community Closet | Clothing and personal hygiene items to survivors of violence and their children, including business professional clothing for women and everyday clothing for women and children.
• Therapy Programs
Adult survivors: Our therapy options for adult survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault include peer counseling, support groups and individual therapy. Children: We provide therapy services for children who have been victims of abuse, neglect, school or community violence, or who have witnessed domestic violence in their home. Batterers*: We provide a 52-week anger management program called Alternatives to Violence. *This program has a fee for service.
• Legal Services | Our Legal Program provides:
o Help filling a restraining order
o Court accompaniment
o Information, advocacy, and referrals
• Latina Outreach | We offer a full range of crisis intervention, counseling, legal and outreach services for monolingual, Spanish-speaking victims of abuse.
• CARE (Concerned Advocates Responding to Emergencies) | Emergency response and advocacy services for sexual assault survivors and their families, including hospital accompaniment during evidentiary exam, legal and social service advocacy.
• DVRT (Domestic Violence Response Team) | A team of law enforcement officers and advocates provide emergency response, case management services, legal and social service advocacy for victims of domestic violence and their families.
• Prevention & Education | We offer presentations on domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and child abuse to the community at large, in schools, businesses and organizations throughout the county.
