What began in 1974 as a one-room rape crisis center manned by volunteers has grown into an organization with a staff of 37 that has helped numerous individuals through a variety of services.
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These include a 24-hour crisis line, emergency shelter, mental health and recovery services, advocacy services and a program for prevention education and outreach services.
“We’ll talk about our history and how we got to where we’re at today,” said Laura Baxter, executive director for eight years. “I’ve seen it grow every year since I’ve been here.”
Project Woman’s mission is to end domestic violence and sexual assault by providing services to protect, educate and empower, and not just to women.
A few years ago, a focus group explored if the name was a barrier and decided to keep it. In the last year, around 17 men were served as well as transgender individuals.
“People instantly think of Project Woman as a battered woman’s shelter and don’t realize that we serve regardless of gender,” Baxter said. “We started as a shelter but the core of what we do is advocacy. There was such a rich history it’s an honor to keep the name.”
Advocacy helped get things started when a core of volunteers dealt with local women’s issues in the early 1970s. They worked with female victims of a serial rapist in 1974 and helped police create a composite sketch that aided in apprehending the criminal.
When Project Woman got its 501(c)(3) status, it was one of only three organizations in Ohio dedicated to such services, the others being in Cuyahoga County according to Baxter.
It was volunteers on phones helping in various ways such as picking women up and forming a safe house network, with the help of several area churches.
A special part of the anniversary program will be the personal stories of survivors of domestic violence and Project Woman’s role in helping them overcome the circumstances.
Baxter emphasized such stories can be an inspiration in helping others seek the help they need to improve their situations.
“Domestic violence and sexual assault aren’t exclusive to any class of people. It’s likely in any demographic, regardless of age or gender,” said Baxter. “We’ve seen more and more males.”
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Looking back, the anniversary event will cover a timeline of the movement up to the Violence Against Women Act. Baxter said the latter, passed in 1994, was a real difference-maker in combating the problem by allowing for a bigger budget to help community programs and protection for victims of domestic violence. It is currently being reauthorized.
Baxter said Project Woman’s annual operating budget is about $1 million, from federal, state, local, corporate and private money.
The anniversary event will also look at the visioning for Project Woman’s future.
Attendees will have a chance to help shape this as they’ll be able to offer feedback Baxter said could serve as a white paper to measure the accomplishments in five years at the organization’s golden anniversary event.
While things like the Me Too Movement are helping bring wider awareness to the problems of sexual harassment and assault, it hasn’t eliminated it. That’s where Project Woman can step in.
“Me Too can lead to candid and open conversation,” Baxter said. “Where ever you want to start your journey, you can come in. If you just want counseling and not pursue court action we can do that.”
Future goals include opening another shelter in western Clark County, as well as increasing education and other services.
“It’s all of us together as a community and let’s not be silent to the fact this goes on,” said Baxter.
Event tickets cost $45 each. The evening will include heavy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available.
For tickets or more information, go to https://projectwomanohio.org.
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