Letter to Editor – August 2011

August 29, 2011

Help available for victims of abuse

I was very disappointed with your Aug. 28 article, “Troubled Port Wentworth Marriage Ends in Murder.” It is a horrible tragedy that Nancy Sanders lost her life at the hands of the man she married and trusted. I think your reporter could have done a greater service by reporting that Savannah has many services for victims of domestic violence.

Mrs. Sanders deserves our respect and our collective grief over her senseless murder, not a rehashing of her life. For over 30 years, SAFE Shelter has provided temporary emergency shelter for victims of intimate partner violence. The shelter is open 24-hours a day, seven days a week and the crisis line is manned by trained staff.

Shelter residents are provided, free of charge, a safe environment where they can begin to heal. While in the shelter, services include case management, support groups, counseling and special children’s programs. The outreach program provides victims with assistance with temporary restraining orders and courtroom advocacy.

SAFE Shelter is working with Memorial Medical Center on a new protocol for emergency department staff in order to immediately access services for victims.

Your newspaper missed an opportunity to provide this information as a way to help other victims. Last year, SAFE Shelter provided direct services to over 800 victims and their children. And there are too many more who, out of fear, have not contacted either the shelter or police.

My prayers go out to Nancy Sanders’ family. And it is my hope that anyone reading this will know there is help available. It just takes one phone call to possibly save a life.

CHERYL HAVEN BRANCH

Executive Director

SAFE Shelter