In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Knight Law Group collaborated with Indigo Hands to provide supplies to domestic violence shelters across Los Angeles County.
Indigo Hands was founded by Knight Law employees Jennifer Gomez and Natividad Delgadillo. The non-profit organization provides resources to specialized populations such as foster children, unhoused or unaccompanied minors, refugees and single parents.
Gomez and Delgadillo interviewed a domestic violence survivor and a DV shelter outreach coordinator, learning that many survivors arrive at shelters with “just the clothes on their backs.”
“Much of the support is given to the children of survivors, but the survivors need special care as well,” Gomez and Delgadillo said. “We believe that once someone feels like they are not lacking essential items, they can focus on their own wellbeing and healing.”
Gomez and Delgadillo hand-selected items that would go into “self-care kits,” which were donated to domestic violence shelters. These kits comprise of hygiene items, cosmetics, notebooks, affirmation cards, and books about trauma healing. According to Gomez, the notebooks assist with practical tasks, while the cards help survivors “learn positive words of affirmation and challenge negative thinking.”
Left: Nearly 30 self-care kits were made, consisting of hand sanitizer, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner.
Top right: Knight Law employees take a selfie while volunteering to organize supplies.
Bottom right: The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D. handles the subject of trauma recovery, and is considered recommended reading by many domestic violence shelters.
Emboldened by the cause, many of their fellow Knight Law employees volunteered to organize these supply kits.
“My sister is an attorney for a non-profit for DV victims, and I’ve see how much her clients are in need of basic necessities when they are at shelters,” said Angelica Zamudio, an employee volunteer. “They often go to shelters with very few items. I was excited to help out because too often, women are victims of domestic violence, and I wanted to be an ally to help these women in any way possible.”
According to the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men experience domestic violence within their lifetimes. However, the rise of domestic violence during lockdown orders created what the United Nations called a “shadow pandemic.” A review from the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice shows that domestic violence in the United States increased 8.1% after lockdown orders were imposed. According to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, domestic violence cases increased by 25% to 33% globally.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to join my team to support a great cause,” said Miriam Trejo, an employee volunteer. “I participated because I stand behind the cause and wanted to support the initiative Natividad started with Jennifer. They did an awesome job.”
To learn more about Indigo Hands, follow the nonprofit on their Instagram account @indigo_hands_. Those interested in volunteering or providing resources may also contact Nati Delgadillo at [email protected]