After seeking shelter, many residents of the Stone House have described being overwhelmed by fear and anxiety. They acknowledge that they have difficulty concentrating and staying focussed. The battered women's movement, unlike the tradi- tional mental health system, has long recognized the benefit of providing advocates to women seeking support beyond providing shelter and filing restraining orders. By providing women with advocates who can accompany them to various appointments and procedures, women are better able to fully access those services while remaining and feeling in control. In order to be effective, however, advocates must have extensive knowledge of the resources available to battered women and survivors of childhood abuse and they must understand the overall impact of being terrorized and tortured.
Advocates play a variety of roles in a woman's life.
For example, an advocate might accompany her to medical appointments, welfare, and other service providers which will better support her as she rebuilds her life. The Elizabeth Stone House has been providing advocacy to women for over 24 years through our three residential programs, and support groups and community advocacy programs. We are happy to share our experiences and resources with other providers through our Outreach and Education program and through our handbook Sheltering Women in Emotional Distress. References American Psychiatric Association. Basoglu, M., ed.