DALLAS — When women call Darlene Greene to request help with finding a shelter, she typically gives the same piece of advice: "Tell them you're running for your life," she said. "That's the only way they'll get it in."
Greene is the founder and executive director of the Ina Mae Greene Foundation, a non-profit organization that serves domestic violence survivors. Her organization is named after her aunt, who was murdered by her abuser.
"My mother lost her sister," Greene said. "I lost my sister and my cousin."
Greene was abused as well by her ex-husband.
Her experience, as well as the experiences of her relatives, fuel her passion to serve as an advocate for survivors in North Texas. They call her, and she connects them with resources and shelter.
The problem is, for the past nearly 10 years, there's been a shift. There's no room.
“The shelters are always full," Greene said. "They’re always full. Every shelter. We’re sending women all the way to Denton and halfway to Oklahoma, out to Tyler and Longview because we can’t…there’s no place for them to be.”
While there's been a recent sentiment that the influx of survivors is a result of heightened awareness, Greene said she believes more people are being abused than ever before with more societal pressure keeping survivors from getting help.
“This problem is getting bigger, and it’s not going away," Greene said. "It’s not going away. Women and children are dying every day, and if we don’t stop pretending like we and the people we know and love have not been in a violent relationship, then it’s never going to get better.”
Greene said her work isn't about "solving" the problem. She said they can't. The goal is to make sure there are resources for survivors to empower them to leave abusive situations, and to support them once they're faced with the hard work of rebuilding their lives.
She said that's hard to do when there are so many hurdles to getting shelter -- often one of the largest hurdles to seeking help.
Greene said there is a network of about a dozen shelters in North Texas that focus specifically on serving domestic violence survivors.
"We all work together," Greene said. "That's the only way we can stay afloat."
There's a voucher program that provides hotel stays for survivors when there isn't room in the shelter. Survivors have to qualify for a voucher through a screening process. Greene said groups are running out of money to be able to provide enough to meet the need.
“The issue with the vouchers, now, for hotels is there are so many women and we can only keep them in the hotels for so long," said Greene.
Debra Nixon Bowles is the founder and CEO of Women Called Moses Coalition and Outreach Inc., a group that focuses on serving survivors in the southern sector of Dallas.
Bowles said the influx of survivors is worse than she's ever seen, and she said the numbers skyrocketed during the pandemic lockdown.
Since Jan. 1, 2022, Bowles said her organization has provided more than 400 vouchers.
Greene said the total number of vouchers provided in North Texas is likely much higher.
"Not every agency is reporting the data," Greene said. "We can't keep up."
Greene said the organizations doing the work in North Texas need more support from lawmakers to get the resources they need, but in the meantime, donations help.
She said the greatest need is for facilities to expand shelters into, as well as monetary donations for vouchers and supplies.
Here are some organizations to reach out to if you'd like to help.