Safe Haven

Safe Haven, Inc. was organized in August 1983, as a volunteer support group for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The need for such an organization was demonstrated by the significant number of victims who were treated at the Golden Triangle Regional Medical Center. Although such victims could obtain treatment for physical injuries, they and their children were still faced with going back into the same abusive situation, due to lack of resources for intervention or shelter. The efforts of the hospital social workers resulted in a community response in the form of organized volunteers who were trained to provide crisis counseling to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. As their efforts expanded, community service clubs, organizations, law-enforcement agencies, and churches were organized in a cooperative effort to provide temporary shelter, emergency crisis counseling, and referral to other community agencies to meet the victim’s needs.

Since then, Safe Haven has incorporated under the direction of a Board of Directors and employs full-time and part-time staff members. Services currently provided by Safe Haven include a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, community outreach, legal, medical, and mental health referrals, school programs on dating violence and sexual violence prevention, community education, volunteer training, a rape crisis program, and a domestic abuse intervention program.

Safe Haven receives funding from federal and state grants, private foundations, local city /county government, United Way, civic organizations, churches and individuals.