BOWLING GREEN – Since 2005, The Cocoon has seen a lot of pain come through its doors, but also a lot of healing.
So, to celebrate the successes and mark its service, Wood County’s only emergency shelter and advocacy agency for survivors of domestic and sexual violence will have a special 20th Anniversary Kickoff Reception on Tuesday, June 17, at 10:30 a.m. at the Wood County Courthouse at 1 Courthouse Square.
Staff, community members and dignitaries will reflect on The Cocoon’s impact since it welcomed its first survivor on June 14, 2005. The event, free and open to the public, will honor local leaders who have championed The Cocoon’s mission.
“We are really excited to embark on our 20th year,” exclaimed Kathy Mull, The Cocoon’s executive director. “What started as a small emergency shelter is now providing comprehensive services to both sexual and domestic violence survivors.”
Through its base in Bowling Green, The Cocoon provides help to domestic violence victims in Wood County: It’s service in regard to sexual violence is wider – to the counties of Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca and Wood.
When The Cocoon began – under the name The Cocoon Shelter – there was only one paid staff member. Mull said today there are 21 on staff to provide 24/7 coverage. They field phone calls to the nonprofit’s hotline (419-373-1730, option 2) and provide services to help survivors rebuild their lives.
In 2024, The Cocoon served 837 survivors, the majority of whom were women and children, although there were some males who sought help. “They come from all backgrounds,” Mull said.
In its 20 years, The Cocoon has supported more than 8,000 survivors on their path to safety, healing and justice.
“What’s exciting and impactful for us,” Mull said of The Cocoon’s longevity, “is that it’s come about through community support and listening to the voices of survivors.”
Through listening to those voices, The Cocoon has launched five programs over the past two and a half years:
- Youth advocacy program, reaching out to young people who experience or witness domestic violence in their homes.
- Housing program to find affordable residences for survivors.
- Criminal justice program to ensure a seamless process in the legal system from law enforcement involvement to adjudication.
- In-house medical program, in which a physician comes to the shelter to provide non-emergency medical care to survivors staying there.
- Champions of Change program, which trains and encourages local businesses and organizations to create safe spaces to support survivors, and to send a no-tolerance message to their employees to affirm respect for those in need.
Aside from these, The Cocoon has launched a program specifically to address human trafficking. “We’ve seen about a 25 percent increase of human trafficking survivors stay in our shelter,” Mull said.
She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic brought about the largest need for The Cocoon’s services, which included dealing with a higher level of violence. “Still today, survivors report those high levels, with more instances of strangulation and traumatic brain injuries. That continues to make our services more critical than ever.”
“Our biggest need,” she emphasized, “is to continue to spread awareness. We want to create communities that won’t tolerate domestic and sexual violence. We are going to continue to provide services for survivors as long as they need them.”
All The Cocoon’s services are at no cost to survivors, which means another big need is financial support, she said.
Along that line, The Cocoon has scheduled the following ticketed fundraising events and free celebration events:
“We’re definitely making headway,” Mull said. The stigma of reporting domestic and sexual violence has lessened. “Survivors know this is a safe place where they can disclose what happened.”
More openness is needed. To eradicate these forms of violence, Mull said, “we have to be comfortable to talk about it and to stop blaming the victim. The more we reduce the stigma, the more we create opportunities for survivors.”
More details are available at thecocoon.org.
