Since 1987, October has been observed nationally as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It is an opportunity to bring the issue to the forefront, advocate for change, celebrate survivors, and mourn those who have tragically lost their lives to domestic violence. Domestic violence is a deep-rooted issue that affects our family members, friends, colleagues, and many other members of our community. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, over 10 million adults experience domestic violence in the United States each year. To further discuss the impact this issue has on our communities, we spoke with Prosperity Now partner, Mona Kafeel, the Executive Director of the Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation, about the work of her organization and the importance of spreading awareness. 

Q:  Hello Mona. Thank you for taking the time to talk about your work and the importance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Could you talk about your role with the Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation (TMWF)? 

A: Currently, I am the Executive Director of TMWF, a national organization whose office is in Plano, TX. I recently transitioned into the role during the pandemic, but I have been with the organization for the past 11 years as the Chief Operating Officer. 

Q: What is your organization’s mission? 

A: The mission of our organization is to support all women and their families through social services, education and philanthropy. Our organization is open to people of all cultures and faiths. For the past 15 years, TMWF has led the charge for domestic violence awareness in the community, which includes establishing 24/7 crisis centers for survivors of domestic violence and 27 transitional apartments, including HUD Rapid Rehousing. 

Q: What should people be aware of when it comes to domestic violence, and what aspects of the issue tend to be overlooked? 

A: Many people are not aware of how often domestic violence occurs. 1 in 4 women will experience intimate partner violence during their lifetimes. If you have 10 colleagues, two or three of them may be going through domestic violence. Also, people tend to only think about physical violence, but abuse has many shapes and sizes and can include financial and emotional abuse as well. People need to be compassionate when dealing with domestic violence. If you see someone acting out in your workplace, ask them if everything is okay, and offer them the space to talk without judgment. Compassion in the workplace is so important. 

Q: How has the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic affected your work? What adjustments did you have to make to meet your clients’ needs? 

A: We shifted some of our priorities to make sure our clients were technologically savvy. Traditionally, our clients would come to our office to receive services, so we had to make sure they were able to utilize Zoom and other online platforms. We also provided laptops so they could continue to engage with us from home. At the start of the pandemic, many of our clients were also on the verge of homelessness. It became clear that 90 days in transitional housing would not be enough. Thankfully, we were able to receive extensions from granters for our housing program, which was a huge lift for our clients. 

Q: Could you talk about your experience working with Prosperity Now? 

At the beginning of 2020, we received a grant from Prosperity Now to fund a savings match program for our clients. However, COVID hit when the program was set to launch. Many of our clients were out of work at the beginning of March, were forced to use their savings to meet the immediate needs of their families. Prosperity Now allowed us to use the savings match as emergency funds, which enabled us to help our clients through traumatic health and economic crisis, which was a huge relief. 

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share? 

Being culturally specific is very important when doing domestic violence work. Agencies like ours are a lifeline for many people, specifically refugees. Many refugees endure one trauma when they arrive in this country, and when domestic violence happens in the families, they often have no one who speaks their language. Being culturally specific can be lifesaving to our clients and their families. 

For more information about the Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation, visit their website and follow them on social media!