 WOMEN ON THE STREETS FACE DANGER Breakthrough Takes Precautions, Offering Safety
Breakthrough staff members hear first-hand about the safety challenges that women face on the street. According to Outreach Coordinator, Brenda Williams,
“Six or seven women we know have lost their lives in the past year. Some of them very violently.” Besides her case management duties at Breakthrough, Brenda helps run the Street Outreach Program. Most Friday nights, she and a team of volunteers spend time on Chicago’s far west side. They come in contact with men and women who are addicted to drugs. Many of the women are in prostitution to support their addiction. Aside from the obvious risks of drug use and infectious diseases, women in prostitution often face physical danger from the men they come in contact with. “The men who seek them out can be very
abusive,” says Brenda. Breakthrough strives to create a safe, nurturing environment for everyone. Whether it’s on the Outreach RV or back at the Joshua Center, it can, at times, be challenging. “It is rare, but a few times we’ve had women who were afraid to talk to us [during outreach] because their pimps were watching them closely,” says Brenda. “Women know what could happen at home if they’ve been talking to us. So we respect that danger. If a woman knows that someone is watching and signals that to us, we will keep our distance so we don’t endanger her.” At Breakthrough’s
Joshua Center, staff keep women safe by not allowing men in. “If someone comes to the door or calls and wants to talk to a woman, we offer to take a message without confirming one way or the other that a particular women is actually staying with us,” says Brenda. “It’s important for women to have a place that is stable so they can concentrate on changing their lives.” | 
