About us
Our highly trained staff advocate on your behalf, give critical support and ensure you (and your children) receive the protection and services you deserve.
Vision, Mission & Philosophy
SHAPING A FUTURE FREE
FROM VIOLENCE
The Saint Paul & Ramsey County Domestic Abuse Intervention Project (SPIP) exists to eliminate domestic violence, and the social and system responses which condone or allow its oppression. SPIP believes domestic abuse is a crime and every victim has the right to receive safety through the laws and systems which are designed to protect them, and obtain the critical support and services that they and their children deserve.
Living free from violence is a basic human right. Our work is not to accommodate domestic violence, but to end it. We are inspired by, are a component of, and strive to strengthen the spirit and advancements of the Battered Women’s Movement, and the work of our state-wide and national coalitions to end domestic violence.
Beliefs
Domestic abuse generates an environment of genuine fear and terror. It leaves in its wake a cycle of desperation and destruction. Domestic abuse encompasses physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect, and threats of violence. Perpetrators of domestic abuse are responsible for their dangerous behaviors and their actions are an attempt to dominate and control another. Victims of abuse have the right to dignity and possess the capacity to make sound decisions, if free from the violence that obstructs those choices.
Appropriately and effectively addressing domestic violence is a life and death matter. Societal responses that minimize or ignore domestic abuse allow it to continue and diminish safe options for victims. SPIP believes the elimination of domestic abuse and all forms of oppression requires continual examination of our own work, and society’s attitudes and practices. We strive to be vigilant in how we value all members of our community and continue to educate and promote activism to ensure the safety and well-being of all.
Each approach SPIP utilizes in advocating for victims, creating system and social change, and cultivating a community response to domestic abuse arises from the understanding that:
Victims have the right to:
- Choose how they will respond to the abuse
- Determine whether or not to stay in the relationship
- Make their own choices
- Access the criminal justice system
- Receive protection through the laws that are designed to protect them
- Obtain the critical advocacy, support and services they and their children deserve
- Be treated with dignity and respect
- Live free from fear and violence
No one deserves to be abused, regardless of:
- Gender or gender identity
- Age
- Cultural background
- Spiritual belief
- Socio-economic background
- Mental or physical ability
- Race
- Partner/marital status
- Sexual orientation
- Immigration status
- Life-style
Partnerships & Collaborations
Our rich collaborations with domestic violence programs, justice systems, medical providers, government entities, spiritual groups, teaching institutions, sexual assault organizations, community programs and St. Paul/Ramsey County’s diverse communities, have changed the way our community and communities across the nation, respond to domestic violence.
Our successes, as well as our commitment to continue to move forward, is due to our community’s unique ability to share a common vision, and genuinely challenge ourselves and support each other to reach even further. In joining our expertise and voices to end domestic violence… we have saved lives.
The City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County are national leaders in confronting the serious issue of domestic abuse. Examples of our effective collaborations are:
Bridges to Safety
Domestic violence crisis support and services that you may require are centrally located at Bridges to Safety (BTS) victim service center located in the courthouse in downtown St. Paul. SPIP advocates and our other partners provide on-site services free of charge. Opened for walk-ins, Monday - Friday 8am to 4:30pm (walk-ins until 4 pm). For details, please visit our Services page.
The Blueprint for Safety
Blueprint for Safety is a national prototype for justice systems to effectively increase victim safety and hold perpetrators accountable for their violence. Co-created by the St. Paul & Ramsey County Domestic Abuse Intervention Project (SPIP), the City of Saint Paul and Praxis International in 2010, the Blueprint’s principles, policies and practices link justice agencies together in a coherent, philosophically sound, domestic violence intervention and response model. Visit this page to learn more.
FLARE-UP Program
FLARE-UP teams a SPIP advocate and St. Paul Police Investigator in providing on-site intervention and advocacy to victims of highly lethal assaults. FLARE-UP services continue throughout the entire legal process, including tracking lethal offenders, providing increased support for victim safety, and identifying and prosecuting dangerous offenders through aggressive investigation and case processing. Since its inception in 2005, it has significantly contributed to the reduction in domestic homicides in St. Paul by over 65%.
Outcomes
The St. Paul and Ramsey County Domestic Abuse Intervention Project's (SPIP's) successful intervention and transitional services achieve promising results each year. Our services reach victims of diverse economic and professional backgrounds, ages, sexual orientations, gender identities and languages, as well as varying spiritual beliefs. Every advocacy encounter is tailored to each victim's unique needs and situation.
Who we serve -
SPIP serves victims of domestic violence and their children. The majority of the victims are female, and primarily from the St. Paul and Ramsey County areas. Of the 5,800 victims served in the past year - 11% indentified as Hispanic/Chicano/Latino; 4% identified as African; 34% identified as African American; 3% identified as American Indian; 10% identified as Asian/SE Asian Pacific Islander; 32% identified as European American and 6% identified as Multi-Racial. Nineteen percent were new immigrants (Somali, Hmong, Latino, Karen, Burmese, Ethiopian, Nigerian, Liberian, Eritrean, etc.). Due to the impact of the abuse, over 89% were below the 100% poverty level.
"The advocates compassion, knowledge and services make the process so much easier. They explained the criminal justice system process in a common language, so I understood what it could do and what it could not do to protect me and my children. I never could have done it alone." — Victim/Survivor
Overview of the services we provided -
Crisis Services
- Crisis Counseling and Safety Planning for 5,800 victims
- Intervention and Acute Legal Advocacy Services for 4,300 victims immediately following a domestic crime
- Acute intervention and advocacy services for 400 hospital/clinic patients who are abused
- Crisis and transitional services for 350 female adolescents who are primary victims of domestic abuse
- Crisis Services and Safety Planning for the children of 3,200 victims
- Crisis assistance to 8,000 callers on our 24-hour crisis line.
Legal Advocacy Services
- Immediate outreach and crisis advocacy services immediately following a domestic assault for an estimated 4,200 victims
- Legal advocacy services with criminal court cases for 4,300 victims
- First Light Team (advocate and investigator) home-visits/contacts for 350 victims at high risk of imminent harm
- Civil/Family Court information/advocacy to secure Protective Orders (OFPs/HROs) for 3,200 victims
- Legal advocacy services with civil legal cases (i.e. civil cases, landlord/housing issues, family law, etc.) for 1,000 victims.
Civil Legal Representation and Advice
- SPIP Attorneys provided critical legal representation and advice to 648 victims
- Successful referrals to legal aid services for 400 victims - accompanied by our legal advocacy services.
Transitional and Life-Planning Services
- Transitional services to 5,300 victims to ensure their transition from a violent situation to a stable, safe living environment. Services included securing emergency shelter, free 9-1-1 phones, food, clothing, basic needs, supervised visitations, long-term housing, landlord assistance; medical services, victim reparations, financial assistance, lock changes, legal representation, childcare, education and employment opportunities, counseling for victims and her children, etc.
- 85% of the 4,300 victims’ households served avoided becoming homeless with our advocates support, and 100% secured stable housing well within 12 months
- Financial and budget planning assistance for 1,000 victims;
- Assistance with educational or career/employment, etc. for 600 victims
Education and Support Groups
- Bi-weekly Healthy Relationships groups at the Ramsey County Women’s Correctional Facility to increase participant’s knowledge of/access to the justice system, community resources, emotional support, safety planning, and advocacy services - annually serving 75 individual participants.
- Weekly Latinx Empowerment/Support Spanish speaking Groups to ensure Latinx victims receive emotional support from other victims of domestic violence, as well as education, input and resources through our group facilitators- annually serving 50 individual participants.
- Weekly Older Battered Women’s Empowerment Groups to provide support and resources to deal with the unique issues impacting older victims of abuse - annually serving 40 individual participants.
- Weekly General Empowerment/Support group to provide the opportunity to receive emotional support from other victims of domestic abuse - gaining a spectrum of input and information, as well as continued education, input and resources -annually serving 50 individual participants.
"How could I ever live without this group? Not nearly or easily. It's life-saving in so many ways. I'm having expert guidance and the loving help of my fellow women in need. Thank you for this wonderful experience." - victim/survivor
Impact
SPIP's holistic, collaborative approach has transformed systems, attitudes and the response to domestic violence.
The results of our work are:
- Victims and their children have increased safety and protections, greatly reducing continued emotional abuse, reoccurring injury, risk of imminent harm and domestic homicides;
- Victims’ isolation is broken through them telling their story and being believed and helped;
- Victims experience self-empowerment as barriers are removed through advocacy, knowledge and support;
- Victims increasing their self-awareness regarding the impact of domestic violence on them and their children;
- Victims better understand how trauma is expressed emotionally, physically and cognitively in primary and secondary victims, and ways of coping with the residual effects of trauma;
- Victims have an increased safety net of community-based and government resources that address the short-, mid- and long-term needs of the victim and their children, and
- Victims access support, services and resources that contribute to long-term stability, moving from crisis and survival to strength and flourishing.
The ultimate impact of our work, and the work of many community-based domestic violence programs, is breaking the cycle of violence. Therefore enabling victims to move forward, maintain control over their lives, and safeguard their and their children's well-being.
"Advocates reached out to me when I needed it most. They helped me develop a safety plan for myself and my children and make it work. With their support, we were finally able to move on and begin to heal." — Victim/Survivor
Leadership
Staff
We recognize that culturally appropriate and diverse programming helps build resilience, fosters dignity, and encourages a clear sense of identity. Our dedicated, skilled staff intimately understands the culture, lifestyles and realities of the people we serve. We strive to deliver a diverse array of appropriate programming in a sensitive, compassionate, and respectful way.
Board
SPIP’s board of directors works with the executive director in setting vision and strategic direction, assures sound financial and administrative policies, participates in strategic planning and fundraising, ensures community relevance and impact, and provides expert counsel in a variety of fields. They bring a deep well of experience representing both the public and private sectors.
Supporters
The St. Paul & Ramsey County Intervention Project's generous funders have been vital partners in our innovative work towards the safety of victims and eliminating domestic violence. We thank our funders and donors for their support of our mission, and the victims and children we serve every day.
Foundations
The generosity of our funders allows us to continue our work to help victims and their children, and to cultivate a community-wide response to end domestic abuse. (listed alphabetically)
- The Hugh Anderson Foundation
- R. Bigelow Foundation
- Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation
- Educational Foundation of America/Ettinger Foundation
- Ray Edwards Memorial Trust Foundation
- Hardenberg Foundation
- Mardag Foundation
- Minnesota State Bar
- Otto Bremer Foundation
- Pohlad Foundation
- Ramsey County Bar
- Saint Paul Foundation
Government
Our government partners support us through valued tax dollars and working collaboratively with SPIP to seamlessly serve victims of domestic abuse. (listed alphabetically)
- City of St. Paul
- Minnesota Office of Justice Programs
- Office of Violence Against Women
- Ramsey County
Northland Cup Hockey Game
• Baird
• Bakertilly
• Ballard Spahr
• Bremer Bank
• District Energy St. Paul
• Fire Equipment Specialist
• GBC
• Galliard Capital Management, Inc.
• General Safety Fire Apparatus, Inc.
• Goldberg Bail Bonds
• Hiway Federal Credit Union
• Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc.
• J.P. Morgan
• Lockridge Grindal Nauen P.L.L.P.
• Messerli Kramer
• Old National
• PMA Financial Network
• Piper/Sandler
• Messerli Kramer
• Ramsey Employee Federation Local 1935
• Robins/Kaplan
• Rosenbauer
• Saint Paul Building Trades
• Saint Paul Firefighters IAFF Local 21
• Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation
• Saint Paul Technical Workers AFSCME Local 1842
• Securian Asset Management
• Skinners
• Stifel Nicolaus
• TransMedic
• Tria Rink
• Treasure Island
• Volunteers for John Choi
• Winthrop & Weinstine
• Xcel Energy
Northland Cup benefit hockey game sponsors. (listed alphabetically)
• Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter
• Ramsey County Commissioner Nicole Frethem
• Ramsey County Commissioner Tisa MatasCastillo
• Commissioner Jim McDonough
• Commissioner Mary Jo McGuire
• Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt
• Councilmember Amy Brendmoen
• Councilmember Mitra Jalali
• Councilmember Rebecca Noecker
• Councilmember Jane Prince
• Councilmember Dai Thao
• Councilmember Chris Tolbert
• Joann Ellis
• Wendy Underwood & Darren Tobolt
Donors
Monetary and in-kind donations by individuals, organizations and companies are critical to our ongoing work.
Form 990 [SPIP TO PROVIDE]
History
Created to confront a critical unmet need
The Saint Paul & Ramsey County Domestic Abuse Intervention Project (SPIP) is a non-profit, grassroots, community-based organization founded in 1984 to assist victims of domestic violence.
We grew from a cooperative community group's finding that "intervention by the criminal justice system was a critical, unmet need in our community." In response, SPIP began providing direct services to victims while working with the criminal justice system to change its response to domestic abuse. Our success stems from the belief that victims and their children have the right to be safe in their own homes and communities, and that in order to be effective vital services must be brought directly to the victims.
Sustaining progress
We have strived to remain faithful to our roots, growing from within and steadily rising-up to meet the challenges around us. Our agency has been instrumental in mobilizing the public’s response to domestic violence, leading nationally respected policy reform, building public awareness, broadening services, and developing vigorous diverse outreach to communities.
This growth could not have happened without the support of our community. Today, approximately 8,000 people affected by abuse receive assistance on SPIP’s 24-hour crisis line, and 5,800 victims and their children receive direct services from St. Paul & Ramsey County Domestic Abuse Intervention Project each year.
Strengthening connections
Our focus steadfastly remains on the needs and safety of the people we serve. We bring multi-cultural/lingual services directly to victims, continue to educate the community on the tragic consequences of domestic violence and how to access help, and strengthen the response of public systems. We create deeply rooted, symbiotic partnerships within the community that work to create a society that will no longer tolerate violence against any of its members.
Expanding circle of support
This effort requires many strong voices and dedicated hands. Our staff, board, and volunteers reflect the diversity of the community we serve. Many who have been touched by domestic violence in their own lives. Just as domestic violence effects people from all walks of lives, so do we —those who propose to end the violence and seek to support our courageous sisters and brothers.
Shaping a brighter future
Collaboration is at the very heart of our agency. Working jointly with colleagues in the field, government, public and private institutions, and interested citizens broaden our perspective, enrich our resources, generate ideas, and expand services. Our collective impact generates long-term social and system change to end domestic violence and allows us to work successfully toward a brighter future.
“The St. Paul & Ramsey County Domestic Abuse Intervention Project is a great example of Dr. Martin Luther King’s admonition that we are caught in an inescapable community of mutuality. What affects one of us individually affects us all.
SPIP’s strong community’s collaborations has brought together domestic violence programs, county, state and local justice systems, medical providers, government entities, spiritual and religious groups, teaching institutions, from k-12 to the most erudite Halls of higher education.
Together we have had a sustained impact on victim safety and perpetrator accountability.
Together we have changed the way our community and communities across the nation and across the globe from Nashville to New Orleans from Dublin to Dubai. SPIP has been there helping communities respond to domestic violence.Our successes, as well as our deep commitment to move forward, is due to our community partnerships’ and government systems’ unique ability to step up and join our voices to end domestic abuse. Together we have a voice that can be heard from the hill tops of Summit Avenue to the parks of Phalen from the flats of the Westside to the river views of Highland Park. Together we have a voice that says we stand with our sisters and brothers so that no victim of domestic violence need ever stand alone. We say that we stand with our sisters and brothers with a voice that no abuser should ever ignore. That we will always be there arms spread wide shielding the victims from further harm and reaching out to hold abusers accountable.”
- John Harrington - Member of SPIP Board of Directors, retired St Paul Police Chief and Officer, and State of MN Commissioner of Public Safety