SAFE Shelter Launches Groundbreaking Children’s Program to Interrupt the Cycle of Domestic Violence
Tuesday, June 17th, 2025
In May, SAFE Shelter Domestic Violence Services held its second annual Bingo & Bubbly fundraiser, where supporters gathered to mark the organization’s 45th year of service—and to hear about a bold new step in its mission: a program focused on breaking the generational cycle of domestic violence.
SAFE Shelter is now implementing a pilot program designed to reach children staying in the shelter, providing them with tools to heal, cope, and learn nonviolent behaviors. Funded through a one-year grant, this initiative is built on a simple but urgent question: What can we do now to prevent today’s children from becoming tomorrow’s victims—or perpetrators—of violence?
“For 45 years, SAFE Shelter has opened its doors to individuals in crisis—but we’ve come to understand that providing safety isn’t enough if the cycle keeps repeating. This new program is about investing in children while we have the chance, so they don’t return years later as adult victims or cause harm themselves. It’s prevention with purpose, and it represents the future of our work,” said Shannon Bates, Chief Executive Officer of SAFE Shelter.
The statistics are clear: while 1 in 3 children nationally are exposed to domestic violence, 100% of the children in SAFE Shelter’s care have already experienced it firsthand. Research shows that 74% of children exposed to domestic violence will commit an act of violence later in life. SAFE Shelter sees this program as a vital opportunity to change that outcome.
The new initiative—currently funded for one year—includes:
- On-site counseling and play therapy for children ages 4 and up
- Calm-down zones and emotional regulation spaces in partnership with Loop It Up Savannah
- Conflict resolution and de-escalation training with the Mediation Center
- Prevention education for children in local schools
- Specialized staff training to respond to calls from youth and support children inside the shelter
SAFE Shelter typically houses 30 children at any given time. With an average stay of 45 days, the organization sees this as a critical window to provide meaningful support that can alter the course of a child’s life.
“This work doesn’t replace our core services—it enhances them,” Bates said. “We’ll always prioritize safety and healing for adult survivors. But now we’re also investing in prevention, in hope, and in long-term change.”
At the May event, former District Attorney Meg Heap spoke about the long-term impact of domestic violence, and a group of longtime SAFE Shelter advocates were honored for their decades of service and leadership.
But the most lasting takeaway from the day was clear: SAFE Shelter’s next chapter will be about more than shelter—it will be about prevention, intervention, and building a future where fewer children need a place to escape.
The organization is now seeking sustained funding to continue and expand this work beyond the first year.
“To truly break the cycle, we need the community to stand with us,” added Bates. “This is our next 45 years—and we’re just getting started.”
To learn more or to support the children’s program, visit www.safeshelter.org
