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SafeHouse director outlines services and statistics as Chilton County proclaims Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Summary
Deborah Higgins, forensic medical services director for SafeHouse, told the Chilton County Commission the nonprofit provides free forensic exams, crisis-line support and shelter; she reported ~1,400 crisis calls, about 180 emergency shelterings and assistance to more than 600 victims in the past year. The commission adopted a proclamation for April.
Deborah Higgins, forensic medical services director for SafeHouse Forensic Medical Services, told the Chilton County Commission during its regular meeting that the nonprofit provides free medical-forensic exams, crisis-line support and emergency sheltering to survivors and families across the region and reported substantial recent demand for services.
“We have received approximately 1,400 calls to our crisis line, provided emergency shelter to a 180 victims and their children, and we have assisted over 600 victims in our community services department and also our medical forensic facility in Pelham,” Higgins said. “We provide essential domestic violence and assault examinations or services to victims of those assaults absolutely free of charge to them.”
Higgins said SafeHouse serves Shelby, Clay, Coosa and Chilton counties and has taken on work for Jefferson County because of a rise in nonfatal strangulation cases. She also noted the organization conducts law-enforcement trainings, community education and school-based intervention programs, and maintains a memorandum of understanding with the local hospital to reach people who cannot travel to the organization’s facility.
The presentation accompanied a motion and unanimous vote to adopt a proclamation declaring April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. After the vote, the commission and Higgins noted plans to take a photograph to mark the proclamation.
Why it matters: Commissioners heard specific service statistics and operational details that illuminate local demand for victim services and shelter. The proclamation is ceremonial but signals the commission’s public recognition of the issue and may help with outreach and visibility for local providers.
What the commission did next: The commission approved the proclamation unanimously and moved on to other agenda items; no additional county funding or mandates were announced during the presentation.
