AOGA drawing raises $10,000 for AWAIC

Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis founded in 1977; funds will support mission to provide domestic violence safe shelter, intervention

KAY CASHMAN

Petroleum News

Thanks to generous donations from Lawer Estates and Alaska Airlines, a grand prize drawing at the Alaska Oil and Gas Association’s recent conference raised just under $10,000 for Anchorage-based Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis.

Jim Posey was the grand prize winner of six round trip Alaska Airlines tickets and a three night stay in the farmhouse at Lawer Estates, a private vineyard in Knights Valley, California, between Napa and Sonoma.

Founded in Anchorage in 1977 as a safe home for battered women and their children, AWAIC offers some alarming statistics:

•51 percent of women in Anchorage have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual assault or both in their lifetimes.

•On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States - more than 12 million women and men over the course of a year.

•American Indians and Alaska Natives are 2.5 times as likely to experience violent crimes – and at least two times more likely to experience rape or sexual assault crimes – compared to all other races.

•Children in the United States are more likely to be exposed to violence and crime than are adults.

•The majority of U.S. nonfatal intimate partner victimizations of women (two-thirds) occur at home. Children are residents of the households experiencing intimate partner violence in 43 percent of incidents involving female victims.

•Between 2003 and 2008, 142 women were murdered in their workplace as a result of intimate partner violence. This amounts to 22 percent of workplace homicides among women.

And the list goes on. (http://www.awaic.org/about-abuse/the-facts)

Fortunately, the volunteer group of determined Anchorage women who established the temporary emergency shelter for women and children, evolved into the AWAIC of today, offering both residential and non-residential services and reaching out into the community with information and skill-building groups for participants.

AWAIC also provides community education through public and school presentations.

In 1983, AWAIC opened the doors of its present facility.

For the first time, all of AWAIC’s programs were in one building. The 52-bed shelter allowed women and children a stay of up to one month, with extensions approved on a case-by-case basis.

“It is unfortunate that society needs a domestic violence program. Given the need, it is fortunate that a shelter does exist, as well as an educational program for victims and their children. Only through the awareness and efforts of many can we continue AWAIC’s services and hope to achieve our goal of eliminating domestic violence from our community,” the organization says on its website.

What does AWAIC have to say about its fundraiser?

What is AWAIC going to do with the nearly $10,000 donation from AOGA?

“The event was a great success and we so appreciate AOGA choosing AWAIC,” Suzi Pearson, executive director of the organization, told Petroleum News June 15.

What will AWAIC do with the money AOGA pulled in from conference attendees with its Grand Prize drawing?

“The funds raised from the event will support AWAIC’s mission to provide domestic violence safe shelter and intervention. Our 52-bed emergency shelter for women and children is the largest in the state and the only emergency shelter for domestic violence victims in Anchorage. AWAIC provides crisis intervention, case management, transportation and more to ensure victims have the opportunity to achieve safety and success,” Pearson said.

“AWAIC provides a full continuum of services for all victims of domestic violence and every donation makes it possible to help vulnerable individuals,” she added.

“Once again, thank you to all those who participated and helped to show how our community cares,” Pearson said.