Every month in St. Petersburg, police officers respond to more than 800 domestic violence calls. But they can't do it all. This is where Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA) steps in.
At CASA, an abuse survivor can find shelter and respite, legal assistance and mental health counseling. She can even get a haircut or learn how to balance her checkbook.
"They just need a tiny bit of support, a little bit of education and a little bit of encouragement, and they can do it on their own," said Linda Osmundson, who has served as the executive director of CASA since 1990.
She recounted a story told to her by a survivor.
"Her husband took a single bullet and sat it on the counter, straight up," she said. "She said, 'That was just telling me that he was going to kill me if I didn't do what he wanted me to do.'"
Such stories are not uncommon at CASA, which serves between 10,000 and 15,000 survivors of abuse each year. While the majority of people seeking CASA's services are women and children, Osmundson said the organization has provided help to men, too. Partners in gay and lesbian couples have also been assisted by CASA.
The majority of CASA's efforts are carried out by a small but committed group of staff members and volunteers. For many of them, their work is personal; they are survivors of domestic abuse themselves.
"We do what we do because we feel like we are saving our own lives," said Osmundson, herself a survivor.
Anyone who wishes to help CASA can give in a variety of ways. Right now, CASA is sponsoring Hope for the Holidays, a "Sub for Santa"-style program that gives needy families a real Christmas. Donations of unwrapped clothing and toys for this program are gratefully accepted.
Throughout the year, donor and volunteer opportunities are limited only by the imaginations of those who wish to help.
» Really Good Santas
» Really Bad Santa Holiday Guide '07
This article appears in Dec 5-11, 2007.