Casa Protegida Julia de Burgos, Inc.
Casa Protegida Julia de Burgos, Inc. (Casa Julia) is the first domestic violence shelter for women and their children, that was established in Puerto Rico in 1979. Since then they have been pioneers in housing and protecting victims of domestic violence and attending the different process that entails leaving the cycle of violence. Through provision of a safe environment, guidelines, safety plans and security Casa Julia has managed to prevent women from becoming a statistic of domestic violence in Puerto Rico which is social and public health problem that is often faced. The services offered are aimed at empowering the participants and teaching them that a life without violence is possible. Currently we have two additional centers that also offer outpatient (ambulatory) services for women who for some reason cannot be or do not need to be sheltered.
Casa Protegida Julia de Burgos attends victims of domestic violence in different types (sexual, physical and psychological) through our shelter program. The average population served is women older than 17 years and children from 0 to 21 years of age. The majority of our participants are from Puerto Rican and Hispanic descent (Salvador, Perú, República Dominicana etc.). Casa Julia is located in the metropolitan area but the majority of the participants come from other places in the island. The shelter provides services including transportation and companionship coordination for any medical, legal and economic needs to decrease the risk of revictimization by the aggressor or any family member. During Hurricane Maria Casa Julia de Burgos was forced to close for 2 weeks because they did not receive the local state funding to pay for the operational costs to run. Victims were forced to go to Hogar Amparo which is a homeless shelter and this homeless shelter did provide a segregated space for the victims because it is in an urban city area with facilities to do so. Casa de Julia provided services at Hogar Amparo with staff who were unpaid for two weeks after the storm to seven victims and three children. If an emergency arise, please call Casa Protegida Julia de Burgos, Inc.:
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Sara Raquel Silva-Soto
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Pre-Hurricane Maria |
Post-Hurricane Maria |