Concert To Benefit Women Experiencing Domestic Abuse

SAN JOSE, CA -- One in three women experience domestic violence in Santa Clara County, according to the local government's task force to combat the problem.

Ponder that. Now ponder how someone who cares can do something about it. The Silicon Valley county's oldest and largest privately-funded nonprofit organization designed to fight domestic violence has just the answer.

Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence will host a two-part "Blues for a Cause" benefit concert on Sunday to support efforts to provide services for survivors of domestic violence. The one at 2 p.m. features Tia Carroll, while the second slated for 5:30 p.m. will highlight Terrie Odabi. Both performances will be staged at The Studio in the Poor House Bistro, located at 91 South Autumn Street in San Jose.

This year’s event will include a raffle with proceeds to benefit Next Door Solutions. It's intended to raise community awareness about the services provided in Santa Clara County by Next Door Solutions, which includes a shelter for victims, a 24-hour hotline, support groups and legal representation.

Beth Williams, the director of development for Next Door Solutions, characterizes the event as "enlightening that women are helping women" in a cause to move people from a crisis to safety to self-sufficiency, she told Patch.

"Unfortunately, domestic violence is a growing issue in the Valley," she said.

Case in point, the hotline that has not let up since its creation in 1971 fielded 14,500 domestic violence-related calls in 2018.

The calls reflect circumstances that don't discriminate in class or race.

"Regardless of race or socio economic status -- we've had doctors murdered by their husbands. We've had leaders from the tech world affected," she said.

In studies, domestic violence tendencies are common among those who have been abused when they were young. Thus as adults, they choose to identify as the abuser instead of the abused.

This is why the program is developing solutions to get to the root cause early and focusing on children as survivors.

Williams was not alone in her sentiment for those on the frontline of the cause to be proactive and think outside the box in terms of solutions. Using entertainment in a fundraising vehicle made sense to the organization.

“We are so appreciative of Lara Price, Terrie Odabi, and Tia Carroll, along with all of the members of 'Girls Got the Blues' band for kicking off the new year of our efforts to combat domestic violence and raise awareness about the programs at Next Door Solutions,” Next Door Executive Director Esther Peralez-Dieckmann said.

Lara Price is a vocalist, guitarist, and band leader who has been nominated for best Soul Blues Female Artist by the Blues Foundation. She has been a longtime supporter of Next Door Solutions’ mission and survivor services, while appearing at many of the organization’s events to raise awareness about domestic violence. Price is pausing her current tour in Texas for the specific purpose of supporting this annual show with "Girls Got the Blues," a well-known female blues band.

“It is so gratifying and appropriate to support the efforts of Next Door Solutions with an afternoon of music performed by an all-star, all-female band of renowned performers also featuring two outstanding artists like Tia and Terrie,” Price said.

The needs are startling:

• Over the last five years, the average length of stay at Shelter Next Door has increased 52 percent, from 25 days to 38 days, with some families needing to have stayed for 90 days or longer.
• In Santa Clara County, since 1994, there have been an average of 12 domestic violence-related deaths each year.
• More than 2,700 Santa Clara County residents received nearly 23,000 services from Next Door Solutions. This includes sheltering, crisis and peer counseling as well as risk assessment, safety planning, case management in addition to assistance with basic needs, information, referrals and advocacy from other service providers.
• Of those, more than 580 clients received 2,400 services from Next Door Solutions for legal advocacy, defined as assistance with filing temporary restraining orders, case consultations, and court accompaniment.

More needs to be done, according to advocates. Regarding Sunday's fundraiser, additional details and tickets can be found at brownpapertickets.com. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.