B

As it approaches nearly 47 years in service, SafeSpace of East Tennessee wishes to renew the awareness of surrounding areas that it is a safe, secure and confidentially located shelter whose mission aims to restore power and control to victims of domestic abuse.

SafeSpace is a nonprofit organization and shelter which helps victims of domestic abuse find living accommodations and the resources necessary to escape harmful, even life-threatening situations. They serve the fourth judicial district of Jefferson, Grainger, Sevier and Cocke counties with legal and shelter assistance.

Since the C.E.A.S.E. shelter closed in 2020 due to financial and foundational hardships, SafeSpace has made the sheltering aspect of their services available to residents of Hamblen County.

Advocacy in the legal sense is typically handled by the McNabb Center, a nonprofit focused on mental health and victim services, if the victim is a resident of Hamblen County. Just in the last year SafeSpace has helped approximately 28 Hamblen County residents with living arrangements.

Due to the reallocation of services, Hamblen County and the city of Morristown now provide funding for services that impact this area. SafeSpace is also an agency of the United Way of the county.

The 24-hour SafeSpace crisis hotline reachable at 1-800-244-5968, and the McNabb Center line for inquiry is 1-800-255-9711.

Van Wolfe, the Executive Director of the SafeSpace organization, shared what the mission means to her and a little bit about the establishment’s history.

“Domestic abuse is mainly about power and control, where the abuser takes that from the victim,” Wolfe said.

“We’ve been wanting to change our mission statement to reflect the restoration of that power. Victim blaming is unfortunately common and we just want to educate as many people as possible that it could happen to anyone and that the abuser is the issue and should be held accountable.”

The current mission of SafeSpace is “working to end domestic violence by supporting and empowering victims and educating our community.”

In 1981, SafeSpace became a brick and mortar shelter in Newport but before that it was established in 1976 by a group of women who accepted victims into their homes.

In their 2022 impact report, SafeSpace said that they provided over 7,500 services to 930 individual clients throughout the year. They also assisted 58 clients with relocation.

In the most recent fiscal year, SafeSpace served more victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking than any year of their 47 years of existence.

This organization heavily relies on the community’s support through volunteering and donations in order to continue their service to victims of domestic violence and families.

There is also a website dedicated to SafeSpace with helpful links including legal aid and options, safety tips, the steps to identifying abuse, shelter services and how to help someone in need.

The following are contacts for area-specific shelters: Sevierville, 865-453-9254; Dandridge, 865-397-8546; Newport, 423-237-6626. Anyone from Hamblen County may call the general 24-hour help line listed above.

SafeSpace is not only a physical location. The organization features services that do not require in-person appointments or contact such as counseling, support groups, court advocacy and other services for victims of domestic violence.

While living at SafeSpace, residents share a living room, children’s play room, kitchen and bathrooms. It is a community living situation. Each resident is given meal selections, preparation and daily chores as well.

This is not a shelter exclusive to women, victims of all genders and demographics are welcome.

The support group at SafeSpace provides a safe and informal setting for victims and survivors to talk amongst themselves and a facilitator. Everything that is said or heard in group sessions is confidential.

Those who benefit from the service of SafeSpace do so at no cost to them. Shelter is also free and confidential.

Anyone wanting to help contribute to the mission on SafeSpace should either donate their time to volunteer or give resources. The volunteer program for this organization is 636 Middle Creek Rd, Suite 3 in Sevierville, and information regarding volunteer opportunities is available through the help line.