First Citizens offers free counselling to domestic abuse victims

First Citizens Foundation’s Advancement of Women (AOW) committee has partnered with clinical and consulting agency, Douglas and Associates, to provide a free and confidential online counselling service to victims of domestic abuse.

The service will be offered for a period of five months.

The bank made the announcement in a media release on Tuesday. It said, the national domestic violence hotline saw an increase reports of domestic abuse during the covid19 stay-at-home order. The data is based on a report produced by the Office of the Prime Minister, Gender and Child Affairs division, from January to March.

“At FCB, we are doing our part to ensure that victims of domestic violence receive support as a matter of priority.”

The bank said contributions to the project were collected through their purple card, formerly pink card, credit card users together with proceeds from the annual women’s conference, which yields yearly contributions in excess of $200,000. Use of the purple card benefits the foundation, which assists women in need.

“The AOW committee and First Citizens Bank are pleased to do our part in helping women affected by the surge of domestic violence recently.”