Free Domestic Violence Survivor Support Group — Salina, KS | DVACK
The Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas (DVACK) runs free, confidential survivor support groups out of its Salina office for adults who have experienced domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, teen dating violence, elder abuse, or human trafficking. DVACK is the only accredited domestic violence and sexual assault agency in its ten-county catchment area, and every service it provides — including support groups — is voluntary, confidential, and offered at no cost. For survivors in central Kansas, where distance and small-town visibility can make asking for help feel impossible, a standing weekly group is often the first place someone hears their own experience described out loud by another person.
What to Expect
The Domestic Violence Support Group meets Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. A separate Sexual Assault Support Group meets Thursdays at the same time, and youth (ages 7-12) and teen (ages 13-18) groups meet Fridays from 3:30 to 4:45 PM. Groups are facilitated by DVACK advocates trained in trauma-informed, survivor-centered practice. Sessions are conversational rather than clinical — you are welcome to talk, and equally welcome to sit quietly and listen. DVACK asks that you call ahead at (785) 827-5862 to reserve your spot so facilitators can plan space and prepare materials.
Who This Group Is For
DVACK explicitly welcomes women, men, and children of all ages; all ethnic and racial identities; every socioeconomic background; people with and without disabilities; and survivors of any religious or spiritual belief. You are welcome whether you were assaulted recently or decades ago, whether you still live with or have contact with the person who harmed you, whether you reported to law enforcement or chose not to, and whether this is your first time seeking support or your tenth. Interpreters are available in more than 150 languages. Secondary survivors — family members and loved ones affected by someone else’s abuse — are served as well.
Why Peer Support Works
Abuse works by isolating people and making their own perceptions feel unreliable. A room of survivors reverses both conditions at once. Hearing another person name a tactic you thought was unique to your situation restores confidence in your own read on what happened, and watching someone a few steps further along in their healing makes recovery concrete rather than theoretical. Peer groups also distribute practical knowledge that no pamphlet covers well — how a protection order hearing actually goes, what to say to a landlord, how to answer a child’s questions.
How to Join
Call DVACK’s Salina office at (785) 827-5862 to reserve your spot in any support group. The office is located at 148 N Oakdale, Salina, KS 67401. A second office serves Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Ottawa, Republic, and Washington counties at 336 W 5th, Concordia, KS 66901, reachable at (785) 243-4349. DVACK’s 24-hour crisis hotline is (800) 874-1499. There is no fee, no insurance requirement, and no obligation to report abuse to law enforcement in order to receive services. Full service details are at dvack.org.