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DIAA provides support services to help Deaf victims and their families deal with the trauma of domestic violence, sexual assault, teen dating violence, bullying and stalking. All of our services are free and confidential.
Our mission is to cultivate a safe, informed and empowered community for Deaf individuals, those with any type of hearing loss, and their families, by providing culturally competent and fully accessible services, advocacy and education.
Please let us know how we can help you.
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DIAA was originally established in 1999 as Iowa Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services (IDWAS) by four local women, primarily to provide support, information and peer counseling services to Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deaf-Blind women throughout Iowa. In 2004, the name was changed to Deaf Women of Iowa Against Abuse (DWIAA) and then later to just Deaf Iowans Against Abuse (DIAA), to make it more inclusive and encompassing of those who support the cause and mission.
This group was only one of the fifteen from across the country that was chosen to attend a national training, funded by the Department of Justice and presented by the Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services (ADWAS) in Seattle, WA. ADWAS is internationally recognized as being the pioneer agency for providing services to Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deaf-Blind victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
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A message from our Executive Director… Deaf Iowans Against Abuse Friends and Community, This month kicks off Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. This awareness I hold very close to my heart. I was one of them. For many years, my “hearing” counselors could not understand what I was struggling with or why. I struggled with why