Family Safety Center launches emergency shelter

Family Safety Center of Memphis and Shelby County has been awarded a three-year grant for $600,000 by the Office of Criminal Justice Programs with the state of Tennessee. The grant will allow Family Safety Center to launch an emergency shelter initiative to provide hotel rooms to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

With the grant, the Family Safety Center will provide a safe place for victims of all backgrounds, ages and genders who are in eminent danger from domestic violence and sexual assault. The Family Safety Center piloted the program from March to August, resulting in secured shelter for 40 women.

The state reached out to the Family Safety Center about a year ago. The focus of the grant is to increase housing options, which can mean a safe place for victims to stay if leaving a dangerous situation. Hotel and apartment options are used to place victims in a safe situation.

“The difference now vs. how it worked in the past is the victim or police might have called and only so many beds are available and they have to be told there are no beds,” said Olliette Murry-Drobot, Executive Director of Family Safety Center. “Now we no longer have to turn a victim away.”

The grant enables the organization to serve individual women and men and families.

At any given time, there are 15 hotel rooms available. A management company also is making sure extra units are available when needed.

On average, it takes domestic violence victims seven tries before they succeed in escaping. One factor that leads to that is an inability to find shelter.

There are more than 850 domestic violence incidents reported by the Memphis Police Department every month. There is no public shelter in the county, meaning the lack of that access leaves victims in situations that can be dangerous and difficult to escape.

Through the program, victims who need emergency shelter now can seek it through a 24/7 domestic violence hotline available at 901-222-4400. Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee hotline handles after-hours calls so that an advocate is always available.