Tertia

Who We Are

Our Mission:
To create a space for primary (first-person) female survivors of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse to rebuild confidence, self-esteem and personality through adventure, emotional & physical challenges, and community.

Tertia is a peer-led non-profit support group for female survivors of abuse. Our primary goals are to support and encourage one another in an understanding environment, help each other heal, help each other grow as independent women, and reduce the chance of return to a dangerous and unhealthy situation. We are located in Evansville, Indiana.

The shackles of abuse often bind long after the victim has left the abuser, even leading some victims to return. On average it takes a survivor of domestic violence seven attempts before he or she leaves permanently1. Statistics show women that leave their batterer are at a 75% greater risk of being killed by their batterer than those who stay, proving that escaping is often the most dangerous period of an abusive relationship2.
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Because of the risk and danger involved with getting free, survivors need and rely on support to stay free and move forward in their lives. Unfortunately, it is the nature of domestic violence to leave women completely isolated from their normal support systems, stripped of their own identity, and reliant on learned behavior that in the past helped them avoid confrontation. We want to help these women find themselves again.

1. Domestic Abuse Shelter of the Florida Keys (www.domesticabuseshelter.org/infodomesticviolence.htm#why)
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2. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (www.thehotline.org/2013/06/50-obstacles-to-leaving-1-10/)

What We Do

Women in Tertia will be grouped with 10 - 12 other participants, and 1 - 2 leaders/advocates. Each session begins with an orientation gathering, then runs for a three month period- meeting twice a month (usually on a Saturday). Each meeting will be a ‘challenge’ or ‘adventure’ in which the women work together to accomplish an activity (ie: indoor rock climbing, hiking, canoeing, high-ropes course, painting, etc.).

The goal of the activities will be to push participants out of their mental or physical comforts zones (in a controlled environment), and also help them redevelop social skills and healthy relationships.

How Can I Join?

Any female-identifying survivor of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse can potentially participate in Tertia. There are a few requirements in order to be eligible.

The first step is to fill out a short screening survey found here. Most importantly, and for the safety of the whole group, to be eligible for Tertia you can no longer be in crisis (i.e. you must be separated from the situation/abuser and have your basic needs met such as safety, shelter, and food).
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Once you have submitted the screening form, we require a face-to-face meeting to go over any questions or concerns you might have about our program and what it entails.

For more information about Tertia and how to join, please visit our F.A.Q. section here or click this link to email us.

How Can I Help?

There are several avenues available to get involved and help support our mission and participants.

Donate Financially

Tertia relies on donations in order to offer our program to participants free of charge. More information about donations & participant sponsorship can be found on our 'Ways to Help' page here.

Tertia is a 501c3 Non-Profit. Your contribution is tax-deductible. EIN: 81-4109248

Volunteer Time Or Facilities

We are always interested in different activities to offer our participants. If you are the owner of a facility or program in the Evansville area and are interested in working with Tertia please contact us at tertia@tertia.team.

Join Our Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors is an essential part of our organizational structure. We are currently seeking active, involved community members who have a passion for our mission. To learn more, please contact us at tertia@tertia.team.

Join Our Community Facebook Group

Survivors and their support networks are invited to join our digital community here.