Co-founded by “Partners In Change” Katya Wojcik and Joel Thomas, Project Be Free has become an important resource for survivors of domestic violence (DV) in south King County and Pierce County.
“We’re unique because we fill in the gaps,” said Wojcik, a licensed mental health therapist and executive director of Project Be Free. “We are not only the bridge for survivors but also the police.”
Formed in August 2020, the Renton-based nonprofit organization came out of the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had on domestic violence cases.
According to a December 2020 study from the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, a form of DV known as intimate partner violence increased globally once the pandemic took hold.
“Stay-at-home orders may cause a catastrophic milieu for individuals whose lives are plagued by domestic violence,” the report stated.
According to Renton crime statistics, there were 366 domestic violence case reports in 2022 — an increase from 345 case reports in 2021 and 331 cases in 2020. In the first month of 2023, there were 36 case reports of domestic violence in Renton.
“We really sprang to action and wanted to do something bigger,” said Wojcik, who also saw an increase in DV-related incidences in her work as a mental health provider. “We need to figure out a different path.”
Not only does Project Be Free provide resources, outreach services and educational information to survivors and families affected by DV, the nonprofit also works closely with police departments to alleviate the workload of law enforcement in DV cases.
“The police wear a lot of hats,” said Thomas, who has experience in different areas of law enforcement. “We help fill in spaces where first responders can’t. We’re able to alleviate non-emergency calls from officers.”
Wojcik and Thomas describe the non-profit’s role as a bridge. “A police officer will call us for domestic dispute that hasn’t escalated to violence and we help prevent violence,” said Wojcik, who is a survivor of DV. “We come in casual clothes and help alleviate anxiety. We’re able to be what’s needed and help provide education.”
When talking about how supporting Renton Police in DV disputes helps with de-escalation, Thomas references a quote from a Project Be Free program assistant, “We are shifting the concept of fighting crimes and giving ‘defund the police’ a different meaning.”
When Project Be Free first started, the nonprofit partnered with the Seattle Police Department and then began working with the Renton Police Department in April 2022 and the organization’s goal is to work with more police departments.
Resources that are offered by Project Be Free include crisis response, where a team of trained bilingual and multilingual DV advocates and mental health workers provide services to survivors in need; a youth mentorship program for ages 11 to 17; family support groups; mothers support groups; and a monthly family resource night which takes place every third Tuesday of the month.
In recent weeks, Project Be Free was awarded a microgrant of $2,500 from Verity Credit Union, which will go toward providing clothes and food.
Project Be Free is completely staffed by people of color and currently offers services in eight languages (which include Amharic, Oromo, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swahili and Thai). The nonprofit will support more languages as the organization grows.
“We want to mirror the need,” said Wojcik. “We offer mental health professionals, help with legal issues and social workers.”
Project Be Free can be reached at projectbefree@outlook.com, by phone at 425-324-5030 or toll-free at 888-909-9098.
For more information, visit project-be-free.com.
