KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
October 13, 2020
By Natalie Cook Clark
To recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Harris County Precinct 5, Constable Ted Heap’s office is collecting new pajamas to help victims. Domestic violence affects over 10 million Americans each year.
Domestic Violence Can Happen Anytime
While the pajama drive goes on all this month, authorities need residents to realize that domestic violence can happen any time.
"This is the third year we have collected pajamas for women who are escaping dangerous situations and the community response has grown by leaps and bounds each year," says Harris County Constable Ted Heap. "Pajamas may not seem like much, but for these women, many of whom are escaping dangerous situations with just the clothes on their back, a simple thing like this can go a long way to restoring their sense of safety and independence."
“The point of this drive is to increase awareness of domestics violence that happens every day of the year,” says Barbara McInnis, the Coordinator of our Crime Victims Assistance Unit for Harris County Precinct 5. “This is about making sure people’s basic human needs are met.”
10 different drop-off locations are located across the Greater Houston Area, including Katy. Only new pajamas are accepted. Due to COVID-19 all pajamas will be sanitized prior to distribution.
Pajamas Drop-Off Locations:
• Precinct 5 Command – (Houston) 17423 Katy Freeway
• Precinct 5 Station 2 (Bear Creek) – 4503 Hickory Downs
• Precinct 5 Station 3 (Ashford) – 1801 S. Dairy Ashford
• Precinct 5 Station 4 (Braeburn) – 8632 S. Braeswood
• Precinct 5 Station 5 (Cypress Creek Lakes) – 10080 Cypress Creek Bend
• Precinct 5 Station 7 (Katy) – 541 S. Mason Rd.
• Precinct 5 Station 12 (Memorial City) – 9821 Katy Freeway
• Harris County Sheriff’s Office (East Houston) – 601 Lockwood
• Texas Jump N Splash – (Houston) 6520 Queenston Blvd.
Most Katy-area Starbucks are also accepting pajamas donations. Call 281-578-2513 for participating locations.
Domestic Violence in Katy
According to Katy Christian Ministries (KCM), their 24/7 Crisis Center Hotline received 905 phone calls from Katy Domestic violence victims just in the first nine months of 2020.
“Domestic violence is happening in our backyard, and we must confront it,” states the KCM Facebook page. “We know domestic violence is widespread and affects over 10 million Americans each year and anyone can be a victim of domestic violence regardless of age, sex, ability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or religion. We also know children who grow up in violent homes are believed to suffer abuse and neglect at a higher rate than the national average.”
Katy Christian Ministries Helps Victims
KCM offers services to the greater Katy area including their Crisis Center that supports those victims of both domestic abuse and sexual abuse. Visit the Crisis Center for more information.
KCM 24-hour Hotlines:
Domestic abuse - 281-391-HELP
Sexual abuse - 281-693-RAPE
Last year, Harris County Precinct 5 and Constable Ted Heap collected about 1,000 pajamas for the drive to support these victims. The year before that they collected around 400.
“When you have to leave with just the clothes on your back, those new pajamas make a huge difference,” says McInnis.
Harris County Domestic Violence Services
Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office has a Victim’s Assistance Unit with Victim’s Liaisons that provides direct assistance to crime victims through advocacy, support, education and outreach. For more information, visit their website or call 281-578-2513.
Follow the office of Constable Ted Heap on Facebook and Instagram.