Letter to Editor – May 2007

May 17, 2007

Dear Editor;

It was with a heavy heart that I read the article in todays’ Savannah Morning News, “Woman’s body found on island”. I didn’t know her, but she was someone’s daughter and possibly a mother and a sister to someone. And her life was cut short needlessly. My thoughts are with her family as they try to sort out how and why this happened. With 48 beds, SAFE Shelter always has room for any victim of domestic violence and her children. We are open 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Our crisis line, 629-8888, is staffed 24-hours a day. We don’t require a police report, visible injuries or any other kind of referral or documentation. Our doors are always open to any victim of domestic violence. All it takes to come in is a phone call. And for those victims who don’t require shelter but still need assistance, we have the SAFE Shelter Outreach Program located at 3025 Bull Street. Two well trained victim advocates, Rose Grant-Robinson and Maria Hale, who is bi-lingual, are there Monday through Friday, 8:30-5 p.m. They can be reached by calling 651-0004. The Outreach staff can assist with Temporary Protective Orders and can link victims to police and court services as well as to other local social service agencies. SAFE Shelter is a non-profit agency and all services are free and confidential. If anyone reading this is a victim or knows a victim, please call today. Domestic violence thrives in secrecy and intervention is the key to breaking this cycle.

Sincerely,

Cheryl Branch

Executive Director