For decades, women in Centre County have benefited from expansive and much needed domestic violence services. Since our inception in 2017, fathers affected by domestic violence who have come to the DRC have reported being unable to access similar services. This puts them at a serious disadvantage as effective parents.

The DRC is filling this gap by initiating services for fathers affected by domestic violence in Centre County. By offering these services to fathers the DRC is working to create a more balanced framework of care in Centre County that prioritizes child safety and equitable access to support services. When both parents have access to support, children are better served.

In developing these important services, the Dads’ Resource Center worked with

national and international experts in the field of domestic violence. These collaborations ensure that our services are evidence based – informed by robust research, expertise, and best practices in supporting men affected by domestic violence.

The 2022 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that women and men reported experiencing abuse by an intimate partner in nearly equal numbers:

• Psychological aggression by an intimate partner: 49% of women and 45% of men.
• Physical violence by an intimate partner: 42% of women and 42% of men.
• Contact sexual violence, physical violence, and / or stalking by an intimate partner: 47% of women and 44% of men.
• Virtually identical percentages of women and men surveyed reported experiencing severe physical violence from an intimate partner in the prior 12 months: 3.1% of women and 3.0% of men.