SAFE HOUSE FOR WOMEN PROVIDES SANCTUARY FOR HEALING

Since August 1990, Cape Girardeau has not had a safe house at which women and mothers with children can take refuge when domestic violence occurs in their homes.

But that's going to change with the opening next month of the Safe House for Women, which is partly funded by the Area Wide United Way of Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

The safe house is situated in a residential area in the east-central part of the city. It will house a new crisis-telephone hotline center that will begin operation this month.

"We're very excited about the opening of the safe house," said Mary Spell, a member of the Board of Directors of Safe House for Women Inc. "It's something that is badly needed here."

Spell said national statistics show nearly 50 percent of all married women are abused some time during their marriage and that 20 to 25 percent are abused once every two months.

Spell said domestic violence is a crime in Missouri and women and children are victims of that crime. She said that between August 1989 and August 1990, Cape Girardeau police officers responded to 175 cases of domestic violence. Of that number, 20 percent involved weapons, 83 percent occurred at night, and 60 percent were on weekends.

Those are only the abuse cases that came to the attention of police. Many other abuse cases are never reported to the police or go through other channels, she said. The former WISER Inc., safe house served 175 to 180 women and children each year.

"Until now, these victims had no place to hide, no place of safety in which to recuperate from physical, mental and emotional wounds," said Spell. "The Safe House for Women will meet this important need."

The non-profit Safe House for Women Inc., was created last year by a group of community leaders and other concerned citizens after the WISER Inc., safe house on Linden Street was forced to close when a bank froze WISER accounts. WISER had operated the safe house for 13 years until it ran into financial difficulties.

With the closing of the WISER Inc., safe house, the nearest safe houses were in Malden, Poplar Bluff and Carbondale, Ill.

In addition to the new safe house, the corporation also will operate the 24-hour crisis hotline that will be manned by volunteers. Spell said the corporation's board of directors in July appointed Carlene Brown as coordinator of the crisis hotline.

"Carlene's job will be to find and train volunteers to operate the crisis hotline around the clock," said Spell. "She is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, and holds a bachelor-of-science degree in social work. Carlene is now in the process of training the volunteers for the crisis hotline.

"We're going to be depending on a lot of volunteers from a lot of organizations, churches, civic clubs, and others to help us operate the crisis line around the clock," said Spell.

Spell said the board of directors will name a full-time safe house director this fall. An open house is planned at the safe house prior to its opening in October.

The safe house and furnishings were purchased by the corporation for $40,000. She said the only real improvements needed were security items like extra locks and a fence around the yard.

Spell said the safe house will have approximately 10 to 12 beds and will provide emergency services on a temporary basis. "We will provide emergency housing for only a short period of time," she said. "If there is a need for long-term care, then we try to make arrangements with the appropriate group and try to help those in need relocate."

Other services that will be offered by the safe house include: help in finding relatives, if needed; financial assistance; referrals to other community services that might be needed; and assistance with any court proceedings.

"It's a crisis shelter," said Spell, emphasizing the short-term stays by women. "We are not going to get into drug and alcohol treatment or anything like that."

Because it is not a government-funded agency, Safe House for Women Inc., must depend on the goodwill of the people and businesses in the community to survive financially.

The corporation's 1991 fund-drive goal is $100,000. Similar fund drives will be held in 1992 and 1993 to pay the balance on the mortgage on the safe house and the operation of it. Annual operating expenses will be approximately $90,000.

The crisis hotline is funded by a $9,000 grant from the Missouri Department of Public Safety and $6,000 of the corporation's funds.

The safe house will receive annual funding of about $8,000 from the Cape Girardeau County Domestic Violence Authority, which receives its funds from a fee imposed on all marriage licenses and divorce decrees issued in the county.

Spell said state tax credits are available to businesses that donate to the safe house. The Neighborhood Assistance Program is a tax-credit program that provides for a state tax credit equal to 50 percent of the amount a business contributes to not-for-profit groups such as Safe House for Women. For every dollar donated to the corporation the business will receive up to 50 cents off its state tax liability.

Spell said Safe House for Women has been authorized to receive up to a total of $60,000 in tax credits. "We've received numerous large donations since the corporation was formed last fall," she said. "They range from $3,000 to $6,000 each."