The number of new clients at Safe Journeys shelter for domestic violence and sexual assault have not risen during the pandemic, but the agency that serves La Salle and Livingston counties has seen an increase in calls.

Streator’s Zonta Club led a walk through Streator’s downtown Thursday night before settling in at Park Place to listen to Safe Journeys Shelter Director Kim Burrow discuss how the domestic abuse shelter has functioned over the past 20 months of the pandemic.

October is domestic violence awareness month.

Safe Journey serves 550 clients and regularly receives calls from outside of its service area, where it provides limited services.

“The number of calls coming in from out of our service area on our crisis line were coming in from areas as far north as Gurnee and as far south as the Missouri state line,” Burrow said. “The Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline makes calls to shelters across the state to get a bed count, which has made it easier for individuals seeking shelter.”

Safe Journey has 16 beds available typically but the agency has had to limit who can stay in what room to one family or an individual while working with local hotels to avoid having to turn anyone away.

Burrow said it’s surprising how quickly the extra steps, such as cleaning and sterilizing and mask wearing became once it was necessary, and the shelter has been able to make it to this point having one person go into quarantine, although that person didn’t test positive for COVID-19.

The shelter overcame these obstacles not just by limiting capacity, but also by limiting the sharing of toys by children to keep in a child’s room separately and by limiting dinners to microwave meals and disposable tableware during the height of COVID-19.

Executive Director Susan Bursztynsky said the 550 clients Safe Journey serves isn’t just women and children: The organization serves men as well.

The Zonta Club invited Burrow and Bursztynsky to speak to bring awareness to domestic violence.

The club envisions a world in which women’s rights are recognized and every woman is able to achieve her full potential, where women have access to all resources and are represented in decision making positions on an equal basis with men.

Burrow said anyone in need or anyone who knows anyone in need can call the crisis line at 800-892-3375.