Who We Are

Message from Executive Director

Imagine living in constant fear. Not just fear of being physically abused—but of being watched, threatened, silenced, or violated in the place where you should feel safest. Imagine carrying the weight of shame for something that was never your fault. Imagine being told every day that you’re nothing. That you don’t matter. That no one will believe you, and no one will help.

This is the reality for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

It happens more often than most people want to believe. One in three women. One in four men. One in five children. These are not just numbers—they are our neighbors, coworkers, friends, and loved ones. They are people living with the trauma of physical assault, emotional abuse, sexual violence, stalking, and coercive control.

Domestic and sexual violence are crimes of silence—ones that thrive in secrecy and fear. But at SafeHouse, we exist to break that silence.

Last year, we answered almost 1,400 calls to our 24-hour crisis line. We provided safe shelter to nearly 200 victims and their children. Hundreds more walked through our doors to receive counseling, advocacy, medical forensic care, and the support they needed to begin again. Each one of them came to us in crisis. Each one left with the first steps toward safety, dignity, and hope.

You can recognize survivors by their strength. When the world told them to stay quiet, they spoke up. When they were made to feel powerless, they found their voice. When everything in their life was taken, they chose to rebuild. And when all they could see was darkness, they reached for the light.

That light is SafeHouse.

At SafeHouse, we provide more than shelter—we offer healing. We offer advocacy, trauma-informed care, and unwavering support for survivors of both domestic and sexual violence. We listen. We believe. We stand beside them, every step of the way.

This work is only possible because of people like you. Our community partners and supporters make it possible for victims to become survivors—and for survivors to become whole. You may never meet the people you help, but they will feel your impact. Because of you, they are not alone.

Because of you, there is safety. There is healing. There is hope.

— Janelle Sierra
Executive Director, SafeHouse of Shelby County