SAFE HOUSE BUSY DURING HOLIDAYS

The holidays are a busy time for everyone, including the 30 volunteers and staff at the Safe House for Women Inc. in Cape Girardeau.

The safe house, which opened in November 1991, offers assistance for abused women and children in the Southeast Missouri region.

Although the maximum capacity at the shelter is 16, at times 27 women and children have been sheltered there. Since 1991, more than 700 women and children have been provided some type of refuge at the safe house.

Women usually stay at the shelter for two months, although some visits may be just overnight. A woman will leave an abusive situation about seven times before staying away permanently, said Becky Stull, child and volunteer coordinator.

Therapy sessions and support groups are available for both residents and non-residents of the safe house. Personal advocacy and support services, such as child care, legal and medical aid, are also available.

A 24-hour hotline is available for crisis situations. A training session for volunteers, who will answer hotline calls, will be held Jan. 13 and 14 from 6 to 9 p.m. Jackie Nielson, a social worker, will lead the training session. Staff members will also help with the training. Anyone interested in attending the session, should call 335-7745 for more information.

"Everyone is trained," Stull said. "Some volunteers have been abused in the past and want to return the favor."

During the session, which is held about twice a year, volunteers are asked to participate in role-playing activities to prepare for the work.

"They are taught how to handle a crisis and who to refer to," Stull said. While volunteers are working at the safe house, a staff member is always present in case of emergency.

"We assess the situation and talk with the person," Stull said. In some crisis cases, the police are notified while a volunteer talks with the caller. Often friends or relatives of the abused women will call the shelter.

"Some people ask for information and don't think they are abused," Stull said.

The number of residents at the shelter has steadily increased over the holidays, Stull said.

"We had a lot during the flood and after the holidays. We have had a lot come in after Christmas," she said.

Other busy times at the shelter are on the hottest and coldest days of the year, Stull said. She also said the numbers change according to different factors in the region, such as farm seasons and planting.

The Safe House for Women Inc., is a non-profit organization and a member of the Missouri Coalition against Domestic Violence.