Every day at CHANA, we are committed to the health and safety of all members of our community. We know that this may be a particularly frightening and isolating time for victims and survivors of abuse and trauma and their children. We also know that people are especially vulnerable to sexual and domestic violence during the chaos and uncertainty that accompanies a natural disaster or state of emergency like the one we are currently experiencing.

As the situation with the Coronavirus Pandemic is affecting nearly every aspect of our lives, tensions remain high. During a time when companies are advising employees to work remotely, and the government is recommending social distancing, victims may be isolated in their homes or in proximity to their abuser for extended periods of time.

These factors can create situations where safety is compromised, and danger escalates. CHANA is there to help.

In a modern age of constant contact and sensationalized news broadcasting, we, as parents, not only have to find ways to deal with our own feelings about scary news stories, but also the inevitability of our children’s encounters with them. The recent outbreak of COVID-19 (also known as the Coronavirus), is no exception.

COVID-19 is quickly threatening to significantly impact our day-to-day routines and decisions within our families and homes. So, how do we prepare our families and our children for these real and potential changes?

The answer to this question is complicated. If you are like me, you find yourself involuntarily inundated with news headlines that toggle between hysteria and dissociation. You will feel torn between the choice of becoming a “doomsday prepper” and taking a “worry when there’s reason to worry” approach.