Join Us For Our Second Annual Strength Soirée
For more than forty years, Stepping Stone Shelter has stood beside survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking across Northwest Indiana, offering hope in moments of crisis and resources for long-term healing. To honor the survivors we serve every day, we invite our community to pull up a seat at our table for […]
From Silence to Strength: Why Awareness Matters Every Day
Sexual Assault Awareness Month is coming to an end, but it’s important to remember that the conversation around sexual assault doesn’t end with April, and that this is a conversation that belongs to everyone. Sexual violence does not follow a calendar, and neither should our commitment to preventing it. Although April shines a light on […]
How To Support A Survivor: What To Say, What To Avoid
Navigating the aftermath of an assault can be difficult, isolating, and traumatizing for a survivor. When a survivor shares their story with you, your response matters more than you may realize. Telling someone what happened is often one of the most difficult steps in the healing process, especially if they are experiencing feelings of fear, […]
Why Survivors Don’t Always Report And Why That’s Not Their Fault
As we make our way through Sexual Assault Awareness Month, one of our main focuses is educating the community about the complexities surrounding sexual assault. One of these complexities is the question that non-survivors may ask: “Well, why didn’t you just report it?” “Why didn’t you tell someone?” “Did you call the police?” While it […]
Understanding Different Kinds Of Abuse: Financial
Although physical harm is usually the first thing that comes to mind when people think of abuse, there are many forms of domestic violence. Despite some forms being less visible, they can be just as damaging. Financial abuse is a highly underrecognized type of abuse, but it plays a harmful role in trapping and controlling […]
Coercive Control: Understanding Psychological Abuse
When most people think of abuse in relationships, they often think of physical violence. However, abuse isn’t always visible. Many survivors experience coercive control, a pattern of psychological manipulation and pressure used to control another person. This can include intimidation, isolation, emotional manipulation, threats, guilt, love bombing, or pressuring someone into sexual activity. For teens […]
Beyond the Headlines: Understanding Domestic Violence in Our Community
Across Northwest Indiana, sadly, one does not have to look too far to find a story of domestic and or sexual violence in our community. These tragic stories often take the form of a dramatic episode, a visible injury, a clear villain, and a clear victim. But for most survivors in our community, domestic violence […]
What Healthy Love Looks Like After Crisis: Hope, Healing, And Relationships
For survivors of domestic violence, the idea of ‘healthy love’ can feel complicated or intimidating. Even the word ‘love’ can carry mixed emotions: longing, fear, grief, and hope all at once. After escaping an abusive relationship, survivors may face challenges when trying to form a new, healthy relationship later on. Trust is fragile, and it […]