Sioux Center, Iowa — Victims of domestic violence anywhere in Iowa have a new outlet for help anytime of the day — and the call center is right here in northwest Iowa. Sara Eastman is director of the Iowa Domestic Violence Helpline, which opened on Thursday, October 1st, 2015.
The helpline is believed to be the only one of its kind in the country. Most of the agencies around the state that help survivors of domestic violence have a local crisis line, but at certain times of the day, those calls may go unanswered.
Calls to the helpline are free. The call center is located in Sioux Center and is funded by a grant awarded by the Iowa Attorney General’s office.
The number is 1-800-770-1650. The staff members are trained to handle everything from crisis situations to counseling. According to Eastman, the statewide helpline could be especially beneficial to victims living in rural areas — as they may be hesitant to call their local program out of fear the person on the other end of the line will recognize them.
