Gateway works to prevent and eliminate intimate partner violence through a 24/7 crisis line, residential care, counseling, and by increasing awareness and understanding about relationship violence and healthy relationships.
Gateway Domestic Violence Services is dedicated to preventing and eliminating intimate partner violence through counseling, residential care and empowering people for social change.
Gateway was formed in 1977 and incorporated in 1979 as a 501c(3) organization dedicated to serving adults and children who are victims of domestic violence and reside in Arapahoe County. Today, Gateway Domestic Violence Services is the only 24/7 domestic abuse shelter available in the City of Aurora, Colorado's third largest city. Gateway serves residents across Arapahoe, Adams and Douglas counties. Focused on preventing and eliminating intimate partner violence through increased awareness and understanding about relationship violence and healthy relationships, Gateway provides a professionally staffed crisis line, licensed counseling, emergency and extended-stay shelter care, and court advocacy. All of these services are offered in both Spanish and English and are 100% free-of-charge.
Over the past 41 years, more than 350,000 victims of intimate partner violence have received services from Gateway. in 2019 alone, Gateway served 2,777 individuals and the need continues to increase in 2020 due to Covid-19. Increased in-home financial pressures and unemployment, and increased abuse of drugs and alcohol have all contributed to an increase in domestic violence in our community.
At Gateway, we help community members transition from surviving to thriving. Donor support makes this possible and is essential to our ability to provide all services free-of-charge for those most vulnerable in our community.
I have so much enjoyed the past year or so of my life with my children and with myself. I feel moments of true happiness again after going through a long spell of feeling little or nothing. Gateway has had a large hand in reviving my soul. I have a lot to be thankful for and I'm determined to lead a peaceful life. Holidays are still hard without family near, but I've found a shared tenderness and compassion among the women and counselors. I thank my Gateway sisters for all the sharing we do in group. I'm thankful for my counselors, and the caring souls who held my hand and heart in the shelter in the early days. I'm determined to live a peaceful life. - Amanda
One night my oldest daughter told me, "I love you but please don't hit me. You are acting like daddy and I'm afraid of him when he gets mad or upset." I realized I was making a mistake by treating my daughter just like [my husband] was treating me. I knew I needed parenting classes. I looked for help and went to Gateway for counseling. I went to counseling through rain, snow, and storms...everything was there to help me, and I didn't want to lose what has made me a stronger person. My kids [and I] now understand that it is better to be safe and loved then being hurt and not loved. Today I can make my own decisions. My self-esteem, self-worth and self-confidence have improved, and I have become more assertive. Now when I look back, I can proudly say that I survived. - Jody
