SAFE Helps People Reclaim Their Lives
August 26, 2019
Every 92 seconds someone in our country is sexually assaulted. It can happen anywhere to anyone. Flourishing in secret, such abusive encounters leave individuals feeling alone, vulnerable and confused.
Thankfully, SAFE (Sexual Assault and Family Emergencies) is here to help survivors break the silence, process their feelings, and begin to heal.
“We want anyone who has experienced an assault to know that they’re not alone,” shares Executive Director Stephanie Altizer.
SAFE was originally founded by Doris Benefiel, who saw a need for support services for victims of sexual assault and their families during her work as Chief Probation Officer for Fayette County. She drew together a core of eight women from various organizations to form the nonprofit focusing on sexual crisis.
Incorporated in 1986, different local organizations assisted with the initial start-up costs of the nonprofit. Fayette County Hospital & Long Term Care donated its original office space and the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) provided the first 40-hour training for local volunteers.
Soon, a 24-hour crisis hotline was established. Today victims can get immediate guidance on what to do following a sexual assault by calling 1-800-625-1414 and the Vandalia office is open Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 4:00pm.
“Although sexual assault can leave deep emotional scars, the effects can become less powerful with the right support. Our mission is to advocate, educate, and power victims and their families so that they know that recovery is possible,” explains Altizer.
To this end, the organization recently adopted a new logo featuring an Enso circle. The drawing of the single, non-repetitive and incomplete brush stroke signifies imperfection, the impermanence of current condition, and the ability to start over again.
Altizer, who joined the organization in December following the retirement of Mary Harrington, believes the symbol is a powerful one: “The Enso circle really connects with our mission.”
“The design is about acceptance and the art of letting go. Often people who experience sexual assaults don’t know where to start. That’s where SAFE comes in. Despite feeling broken, there is a path forward. We connect victims and families with resources that can help them progress toward recovery.”
In addition to offering emergency guidance in the wake of a sexual assault, SAFE also provides free medical and legal advocacy to support victims.
SAFE Advocates can stay with those who have been assaulted throughout the medical examination and evidence collection process as well as provide information on the progress of police investigations and court process by serving as a liaison with police and prosecutors. They also help with filings for victim compensation and no-contact orders as well as transportation to and from court appearances and support for problems with employers, landlords, and schools.
SAFE also provides compassionate and specialized sexual abuse counseling to support victims in their journey to recovery. SAFE offers individual, support group, and family counseling, helping children as young as two years of age.
As an agency, SAFE also works to overcome obstacles in our community by educating society at large about the causes and consequences of sexual violence. Education programs at schools, businesses, and other organizations focus on bullying, Internet safety, dating violence, healthy relationships, human trafficking, body safety, healthy boundaries, and stranger/predator issues.
As a member of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA), last year SAFE helped to educate 41,000 children across 11 Illinois counties, including Clinton, Bond, Fayette, Effingham, Marion, Jefferson, Wayne, Washington, Clay, Hamilton and White County.
The nonprofit also offers a community program aimed at the general public, including school staff, daycare workers, and church members. Participants learn valuable statistics and information and how they can make a difference in the battle against sexual violence.
Currently, SAFE has four regional offices located in Vandalia, Effingham, Mt. Vernon and Centralia, Illinois. Federal grant dollars help ensure their services remain free and accessible to everyone who needs them.
Volunteers play a huge role in the organization’s success. Over 5,000 volunteer hours are donated through the 24-hour hotline and other organizational efforts annually. Fundraisers also help defray the costs for new and expanded initiatives.
In April, the nonprofit led an #InHerShoes social media challenge. Men throughout the communities SAFE serves slipped into high heels to help raise awareness of sexual assault and raise funding for the nonprofit.
Vandalia City Hall and others throughout the community also joined in the month’s National Denim Day for the organization. This spring’s campaign centered around the theme “Clothes do not determine consent.”
SAFE also hosts an annual golf scramble each June to help defray operating and special program costs. This year's event was held in June at the Colonial Golf Course in Mt. Vernon.
The nonprofit was also well-represented advancing their mission at the Fayette Ymca’s 2nd Annual Community Appreciation Cookout in Vandalia, the Marion County Agricultural Fair and the Salem Community Farmers Market, the Effingham County Connections Indoor Resource Carnival, and Centralia’s Rock the Block Party.
“We’re always looking for fresh approaches to share our message and other ways to help,” says Altizer, who has hopes of expanding services to include programs that target outreach at new communities in need.
Altizer, who holds a BA in Psychology and an MA in Education and Professional Counseling, sees the potential for SAFE’s impact in the community to be even greater than it is now.
“Our name includes the phrase ‘Family Emergencies' and we know there are parents and children who don’t have access to our programs right now, but anyone can reach us at our hotline number and receive phone support and referral information.”
“We are always imagining what more we can do to help create a world without sexual violence. Unrestricted community donations help make those hopes a reality.”