PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
For Dr. Helena Fontes of the NewView Institute, every day is about supporting survivors and fostering healing throughout Philadelphia.
Dr. Fontes, a Philadelphia native, says it’s both a blessing and an odyssey to be called with empowering the city where she grew up.
“I was born in Abbotsford projects. I lived there for the first five years of my life until my parents purchased our first home in West Oak Lane,” she explained.
“It’s quite a responsibility. I feel obligated to be able to support the community in which I grew up in, because there is a lot of violence on the streets.”
From day-to-day, she finds herself busy counseling victims of domestic and violent crimes, delivering care for communities through lending an empathetic ear, and teaching healthy coping mechanisms.
"What I found through the research is that a lot of the violence that we see permeating on the streets of Philadelphia, originates in the home. The home is where we learn how to resolve conflict amongst our siblings have these tough conversations with our parents, as we’re growing up and becoming curious and aware of society, and our place in it. And so if we are living in unhealthy and combative conditions within our homes, then of course, we take that emotion, that experience out into our communities.”
“We believe that healing is holistic, and we have to be able to meet you where you are," Dr. Fontes said.
Dr. Fontes said this calling transpired from her own personal experiences with domestic violence.
"My husband, he was abusive in every way, physically, emotionally, financially, psychologically, and sexually," she said.
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"When I left for the final time — because, you know, they say it takes a woman up to seven times to leave before she leaves for good — once I finally got the courage to leave and start a new life without him, God spoke to me and said, 'Domestic violence.'”
Her husband was murdered in 2011, which she says is a testament to the intersections of the issues permeating the city.
“So from any day, I can get anywhere from one to five referrals for persons who have experienced homicide, robbery, assault, or gun violence, sexual assault and domestic violence,” Dr. Fontes said.
She says they partner with several local nonprofits, including Mothers in Charge, Why Not Prosper, ManUp Philly and more.
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“We provide grief support for the mothers who have lost their sons and daughters to gun violence," Dr. Fontes explained.
"We also partner with Man Up Philly. We provide counseling services for the young men, to help them to understand their worth their value and all of the possibilities that are promising in front of them so that they can put down the guns and live a more healthier lifestyle.”
With mental health and trauma-informed care services stretched thin in the city, the NewView Institute is fulfilling a gap.
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The nonprofit is hosting events all month long to help forge a new path forward.
“If we can deal with what happens within our home environment, and handle those issues with compassion, and empathy, one for another...I’m sure that it will instill love for our neighbor, as we live in the community," she said.
"We hope to be able to promote awareness around domestic violence, and we hope to promote an eclectic idea and approach towards healing. Because everyone that has participated in these events so far throughout the month, they’ve been different.”
Anyone seeking services can stay up-to-date through the website or on Facebook.