Domestic violence is real.
One in 4 women, and 1 in 7 men, experience it in their lifetime. In Connecticut, 19 people died in family violence homicides last year alone.
Westport is not immune. In fiscal year 2025 the Domestic Violence Crisis Center — a counseling and advocacy organization serving victims and their children in lower Fairfield County — conducted 23 “lethality assessments.” 26% were identified as high danger, prompting immediate intervention by DVCC and law enforcement.
Nearly every week, Westport Police report an arrest prompted by a domestic argument.
Dr. Wendy Levy is a member of the Westport Domestic Violence Task Force, and a DVCC Advisory Council member.
She says, “Domestic, or interpersonal, violence happens regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion or socioeconomic status.
“It happens here in Westport, but is sadly underreported or acknowledged due to stigma, shame or economic realities.”
DVCC CEO Suzanne Adam notes, “Domestic violence is a process, not an event.
“It’s a pattern of power and control that develops over time. Understanding that complexity is critical to helping survivors find safety and healing.”
Leaving an abusive relationship seems simple or immediate.
However, advocates say it often takes several attempts before a survivor can safely and permanently leave.
In fact, leaving can be “the most dangerous time for a survivor,” Adam says.
DVCC provides comprehensive support before, during and after that decision.
DVCC counselors say that not every survivor wants to end their relationship. Sometimes, they simply want the violence to stop. The organization “supports their choices, and helps them build safety and stability on their own terms.
“Victims are the experts in their own lives. Our job is not to tell them what to do, but to equip them with the tools and information to make empowered decisions.”
Westport Police Captain Jill Cabana — who heads our town’s Domestic Violence Task Force — has sat on DVCC’s board.
She calls the non-profit “a group of committed and passionate individuals, truly doing God’s work.”
Westporter Stacy Reilly, a DVCC volunteer and Advisory Board member, is a former witness of domestic violence toward her mother, and inappropriate conduct toward herself,
She works with DVCC to “help foster a safer, more compassionate community, and help men, women and children rebuild their lives, giving them the chance to start again.”
Since 1980, the DVCC has done that, through education and support.
Their services include 24-hour crisis intervention through a hotline, the Lethality Assessment Program, 2 emergency safe houses, legal advocacy, trauma-informed counseling for adults and children, housing and financial sustainability support, and prevention education.
All services are multicultural, multilingual, free and confidential. DVCC’s annual budget of $3.9 million includes nearly half raised from private donations.
The average shelter stay is now 104 days — a vast increase from the 19-day average before the pandemic. Housing scarcity and financial instability keeps them in shelters, as they work toward independence.
DVCC’s counseling services include child enrichment services at the safe house.
Legal support in FY ’25 involved 2,779 victims. Advocates help victims obtain orders of protection, and are present at arraignments and criminal hearings. Consultations also cover child support, custody, divorce and alimony.
Financial assistance includes housing, employment and credit support services.
Education is a key component of DVCC’s work. In Westport alone, 1,052 students learned how to recognize unhealthy relationship dynamics, and provides tools to intervene safely.
The Westport Domestic Violence Task Force, meanwhile, covers a wide range of services. They collect supplies for victims (including gift cards from salons), raise awareness and provide information.
October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month. But Fairfield County’s Domestic Violence Crisis Center, and the Westport Domestic Violence Task Force, work 24/7, 12 months a year.
To learn more, click here for the DVCC, or email the Westport group: wdvtf06880@gmail.com. The DVCC hotline is 203-588-9097.
In October, then-1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker (front, 2nd from left) proclaimed “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” in Westport. She posed at Town Hall with DVCC CEO Suzanne Adam, members of the Fairfield County and Westport organizations, and other officials.
Very Important Work! Thank you!
DVCC is an incredible organization with exceptional and compassionate leadership and staff, all dedicated to helping countless families rebuild their lives and break free from the cycle of abuse.
awareness is so important