Are the services provided by SafeHomes confidential?

The safety of our clients is our most important priority. All services provided by SafeHomes are completely confidential.

Isn't SafeHomes just an emergency shelter?

No. While we shelter hundreds of women and their children each year, we also offer a complete array of non-residential programs to help men, women and children rebuild their lives. All of our services are completely free, completely confidential and the client's safety is always our first priority.

How does SafeHomes partner with other agencies in the CSRA?

Victims of domestic violence are often in a state of trauma when they reach out for help. It is crucial that they receive unique intervention and highly specialized services that ensure their immediate safety and set the stage for them to be able to break the cycle of violence for good. Once a victim has been stabilized and is participating in our support groups, counseling and self-sufficiency programs, our staff helps clients set unique plans based their specific challenges and opportunities. The plans may include strategies to secure childcare, employment or medical assistance, and SafeHomes collaborates with a variety of outside agencies to help the client implement those plans.

How are you funded?

While we are one of 46 state-certified shelters in Georgia, and we do receive some State and Federal funding, we rely on community contributions, individual donations and foundation grants to sustain our daily operations and carry out all programs and services.

What kinds of donations do you need?

In-kind donations are collected between the hours of Noon and 2 p.m. on the first Friday of every month (excluding holidays & the month of April) at Warren Baptist Church (The Edge). Visit our "Get Involved" section to view a list of current needs.

Why doesn't she just leave?

There are many reasons why a victim of domestic violence does not "just leave." While every victim is different and has their own story and journey to bear, many of the reasons that they remain in their relationship are the same, and often include one or more of the following:

Fear- Abusers often threaten over and over that they will hurt the victim, their children, a pet, a family member/ friend or themselves. A victim may stay in the relationship because they are scared of what the abuser will do if they leave.

Low self-esteem- When an abuser calls their partner names, puts them down and plays mind games it can make the victim feel bad about themselves. Many times victims believe that the abuse is their fault or that they deserve the abuse.

Money- Victims may not leave because they are scared that they will not have enough money to support themselves- a fear that often gets worse if they have children.

Children- It is very common for a victim to stay with an abusive partner because they do not want to "break up" their family and are afraid that it might be hard on their children if they leave. Victims may be afraid that the abuser will take the children away or that they might hurt the children if s/he is not there to protect them.

Control- Victims often mistakenly think that they can control their partner's abusive behavior by doing exactly what s/he wants and by doing everything perfectly. But the only people who can control the violence and the abuse are the abusers themselves.

Hope for change- Abusers often promise that they will change and that the abuse will not happen again. Many victims want to believe this is true, and they hope that the abuse will end and things will get better.

Pressure from friends and family- Friends and family of a victim may not be supportive. Victims may not be believed, told that the abuse is their fault or that all relationships have bad times and that s/he should try harder. Friends and family may also get angry because the victim stays with the abuser or has left and gone back to the abuser so many times. Plus, friends and family may be scared about their own safety-what will happen if the victim stays at my home, etc.

Isolation- Many abusers isolate their victim from his/her friends and family in order to gain more control. By the time the victim decides they want to leave, s/he may feel like they have no one to turn to and nowhere to go.

Do you serve men?

Yes. We are available to help ALL VICTIMS of domestic violence.

Do clients work and/or go to school?

We encourage everyone to have as normal a life as possible when residing in our shelter. Our goal is to empower them to learn to survive after they come out of shelter. Therefore, whenever safe to do so, children remain in their school, or, perhaps begin attending another designated school if necessary to ensure their safety. The same is true for our ladies in shelter. If it is safe for them to continue to work at their regular place of employment, they can do so. If not, we will assist them in finding other opportunities.

Where are you located?

Information regarding the location of the shelter is kept strictly confidential due to the nature of our business to ensure the safety of all clients, staff and volunteers.

You state that you provide services to 10 counties, do you ever have clients from outside that 10-county area?

Yes. We work closely with other shelters in the state and region when it is necessary to ensure the highest level of safety for the client.