Hennepin County Domestic Abuse Center
About DASC
The DASC office and staff reflect a unique collaboration among law enforcement agencies and domestic abuse service providers. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office, Fourth District Court, Hennepin County Sherriff’s Department, and a range of social service organizations all have regular office hours.
Advocates from these community agencies are available:
- Asian Women United
- Esperanza United
- Division of Indian Work
- SEWA-AIFW
- Domestic Abuse Project
The staff provides culturally specific and trauma informed services. DASC has advocates that speak the following languages: English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Hindi, Newari, Nepali, Telugu, Tamil, and Sanskrit.
Central Minnesota Legal Services provides pro bono legal consultation and representation to individuals at DASC. CMLS strives to provide culturally responsive and trauma informed lawyering. Referrals for legal consultation are made by advocates.
History of DASC
In October 2019, the Domestic Abuse Service Center (DASC) celebrated its 25th anniversary. Since 1994, DASC has helped more than 1.5 million victims, filed 90,000 Orders for Protection, and charged more than 60,000 Gone on Arrivals.
Domestic Violence During the Pandemic
The former Director of the Domestic Abuse Service Center DeAna Smith, spoke with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health about domestic violence during the pandemic. Listen to the podcast here.