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Approaches & Entrances
When a woman has difficulty navigating the approach and entrance to a secure location, designs for protection and privacy are of no value to her. Victim service providers often create barriers to approachways and entrances in order to deter batterers from tracking and finding women they serve. Providers will meet in other locations and bring women to secret back doorways because they know that guidance is essential. Also the provider needs to be certain of the safety of who is being met.
Obscure small signs or symbols in doorways, dimly lit paths, hidden doorways are all things that make it difficult not only for the batterer but for some survivors as well. When anxious, it is difficult to think clearly, to follow detailed directions and find one’s way. If after initial guidance, a survivor cannot get to and from the facility without getting confused, disoriented, or anxious, she may need personal assistance. Offer it – just knowing it’s an option may be enough to reduce anxiety.
A more likely scenario is that survivors incur what seems necessary to access safety. Women needn’t have their functional limitations given short shrift. To respond to and anticipate this experience will be beneficial to everyone. Even if women are guided into facilities for the first time, there are some basic functions of welcome that can be communicated through landscapes, approaches and entrances without having to contradict needs for protection and privacy.
