Frequently Asked Questions

The Safe Sisters Circle mission is to serve Black women and girls who have experienced domestic violence and/or sexual violence who live inWashington DC. Currently we can only serve survivors who live in DC or have a legal matter in DC. We prioritize survivors who live in Wards 7 & 8 as part of our mission.  

We prioritize survivors who identify:

•  as part of the Black diaspora; 

• as a woman (including, but not limited to, cisgender, transgender, and nonbinary); and 

• have experienced domestic violence/intimate partner violence; sexual assault; dating violence and/or stalking

No, they do not. We support survivors in any type of relationship, if the person looking for services meets our mission priorities. 

We currently provide the following services to survivors:

• Legal Representation (full representation; victim rights advocacy; and brief advice and services)

• Counseling Services (peer group support; holistic healing services; short-term counseling)

• Case Management (referrals; emergency support)

You can learn more about these services under Our Services.

The Safe Sisters Circle is not an emergency shelter or transitional housing organization. We can assist with referrals to some of the shelters or housing resources in Washington DC for survivors who need assistance finding one.

We keep the information you share with us confidential unless you have given us permission to share with someone or another organization for a referral. We will only share the necessary information needed for a referral. At any time you can change your mind on who we share your information with. 

It is possible that your abuser finds out that you contacted us if they have access to your phone, computer, or email. However, we will never tell your abuser that you contacted us or confirm we are working for you, except when required during active legal proceedings.

Please look at our Get Support webpage to see how you can schedule an intake interview with us.

We do, but it is determined on a case-by-case basis and is typically reserved for survivors we are working with in our legal or counseling services. 

We are happy to connect you with resources and make direct referrals when you connect with us. You can also look here at the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence for resources.

TSSC defines culturally specific as “services provided by individual(s) from the same community that creates a comfortable environment where trust established and the lived experience is centered.” For TSSC this approach to working with survivors look like:

• being Black woman-led and and Black woman-benefiting;

• our values and work center around anti-misogynoir and being opponents of anti-Blackness, biases, and stereotypes aimed at Black women; and

• we are survivor centered and acknowledge the lived experience and cultural implications on a Black woman’s journey with intimate partner and sexual violence.

TSSC defines a trauma informed approach as an approach that recognizes the pervasiveness of trauma and promotes an intersectional culture of safety, well-being, and healing for the survivor and the organization. We understand our survivors have been through a trauma and that trauma affects each survivor differently. To help a survivor on their journey to healing and thriving we center this knowledge to limit retraumatizing survivors and provide them a safe environment. 

Black women experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime at higher rates than other ethnicities in the United States, but often do not have equal access to support services needed. 

Washington, D.C. is fortunate to benefit from several nonprofits for other marginalized groups such as the immigrant survivors and Asian American and Pacific Island survivors. However, until The Safe Sisters Circle was formed in 2018, Black women were unable to secure culturally specific and trauma-informed services. 

To learn more about statistics related to Black women and girls experiencing intimate partner violence, see the following resources: https://ujimacommunity.org/resources/.