Willow Domestic Violence Center gets $325K in funding

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Five years ago, Louise Slaughter passed away. She was Rochester’s member of congress for 31 years and she was a champion for survivors of domestic abuse.

On the anniversary of her passing, Rep. Joe Morelle announced $325,000 for the Willow Domestic Violence Center.

The money will help staff Willow’s hotline and help survivors with immediate needs like rent, a security deposit, or car repair. It will also help educate children caught in abusive homes.

“Children who witness abuse are more likely to perpetuate the cycle. So through prevention education and children’s programming, we can help them stop the cycle,” said Meaghan de Chateauvieux, president of the Willow Domestic Violence Center. “We can help people calling us to help break those generations of abuse.”

In January, Willow’s domestic violence hotline got 1,200 calls. That is triple what they got in January the year before.

Willow held a forum earlier this month to discuss the need for a family justice center for families impacted by domestic violence. De Chateauvieux said having a justice center would help create a faster, stronger, and more efficient system to restore hope for victims.