For Immediate Release: 6/21/07

Naples, FL – The Shelter for Abused Women & Children is pleased to announce that through the support of several Rotary Clubs, including the Naples North Rotary Club and Foundation, staff member Ms. Jan Christiansen will be heading to Bratislava, Slovakia, this fall to assist the fledgling Duha Domestic Violence Shelter with monitoring programs and services.

According to Christiansen, “The Bratislava International Rotary Club, along with the Rotary Club of Chattanooga, TN, and the Rotary Club of Fernandina Beach, FL, are partnering to help upgrade the services capacity at the Duha shelter in Bratislava from a facility that provides shelter only to a multi-services facility that offers women career training and psychological counseling.” She continues, “But the trip would not be possible without the support of the Naples North Rotary Club Foundation and the funds they are providing for travel to and from Slovakia.”

In addition to auditing and monitoring the facility and its programs, Christiansen will share her more than ten years of experience in the field of intimate partner abuse at the University in Bratislava to help educate students about domestic violence and related issues, as well as its impact on communities and society as a whole.

The limited research available shows that one out of every five women in Slovakia experiences some type of domestic violence, which can be physical, emotional, sexual and/or financial. Currently, there are no hotlines nor any other shelters available to Slovak women and children in violent situations.

“In addition to a general lack of funding, the government and law enforcement are not providing support. So,” continues Christiansen, “this crisis center will finally provide hope to victims and survivors of domestic violence by helping them achieve a greater level of self-sufficiency. Just as with the Shelter for Abused Women & Children, the goal of the Duha center is to empower the women and children they serve.”

Through the Naples North Rotary Club Foundation, and a generous donation by William and Barbara Meek, Christiansen will travel to the Duha shelter this November for an approximately one-week stay.

To learn more about the Shelter for Abused Women & Children, please call 239-775-3862, or visit the Shelter’s website at www.naplesshelter.org.

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The Shelter for Abused Women & Children helps adult and child victims and survivors of domestic violence through safety, intervention and support; educates the public about domestic violence; and advocates for social change against domestic violence. For more information, please contact us at 239-775-3862, or visit us online at: www.naplesshelter.org

Media Contact: Mary Ann T. Green, mgreen@naplesshelter.org, 239-775-3862, ext. 211