Meet Hilary Platt, Project SARAH Coordinator!
How long have you been working at JFCS? I am starting my 14th year!
Tell us about your role.I am the coordinator of the Project SARAH domestic violence program. I grew the program from a handful of clients to around 30 to 50 clients at all times. I also run our Building Healthy Relationships program, which presents to 2,000 students a year. Our safehouse apartment was established in 2014, and we also offer grassroots community programming as well as professional trainings. I serve as a case manager for domestic violence clients, which includes safety planning, restraining order education and advocacy, networking, and more. I am also the co-facilitator for two support groups: SARAH Supports and SARAH Sustains.
What brings you joy in your role at JFCS? Being an advocate is my biggest joy. I get to advocate for the most vulnerable population, who have been told over and over that they are not worthy. Our clients often say that once they call Project SARAH, their journey of healing finally begins.
What might the community be surprised to learn about domestic abuse? People might be surprised to learn that their religion or economic status don’t matter and that no one is immune to abuse. Most people will think, “Why don’t they just leave?” Abuse looks like many things. Forcing someone to stay home and not work or not have a lucrative career sets them up for difficulties leaving an abusive situation. Most abusers will not pay their court-ordered financial support to our clients. They just get away with it! I just spoke to a client whose abusive ex owes her over $70,000 so she works two jobs and watches dogs on the weekends with her children. Although she must go to two food pantries, she is still required to drive an hour every week up and back for visitation. She can’t afford the gas or wear and tear on her vehicle, while her abuser gets away with not paying to help his children survive. It costs thousands of dollars to file a motion in court and usually the abusers pay a very small amount and then do not pay again. This is an example of both financial and litigious abuse, where clients are forced to choose between putting food on the table or fighting the abuser in court with no significant results. People might also be surprised to hear that many of our clients have disabled children. This makes our clients very vulnerable: they often need to stay home and not work, or stay within a certain school district, and their children cannot function in a shelter.
