LAYTON — Safe Harbor now has three places victims of domestic and sexual abuse can go for help.

The new Lifeline Prevention Center, 223 Larsen Lane in Layton, will provide prevention education and survivor resources for the Davis County community. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held on Thursday.

“Safe Harbor has been around for 25 years,” said Kristen Floyd, the organization’s executive director. “We have our main shelter and our transitional campus and now this new community advocacy building, where people who don’t need emergency shelter in a crisis can come and get the help they need. need.”

The land for the new facility was donated by Intermountain Healthcare and the building was funded by private and public donations, Floyd said. A competitive grant of $1 million from bioMérieux was awarded to the project, as well as a one-time credit of $1.5 million from the State of Utah last year.

“We are truly grateful to those who have championed this project,” Floyd said. “This building would not be open without the investment of key community leaders who understood the urgent need for this community resource.”

The Lifeline Prevention Center is the first of a three-phase project to provide increased overall services, which will also include the expansion of the emergency shelter and a new transitional apartment complex. The expansions, Floyd said, will allow the organization to serve more than 5,000 additional Davis County residents each year.

In the past year, Floyd said, 100 children in Utah have seen their mothers die as a result of domestic violence, adding that 1 in 3 Utahns are victims of domestic violence and 1 in 5 are victims of sexual abuse.

“When someone tells you they’re in a bad spot, believe them. Know where to direct them. Don’t try to do it yourself, just let us help you,” she said “Abuse comes in all forms and knows no socio-economic boundaries. We have people who come from six-figure backgrounds and people who come from low-income backgrounds. People assume that abuse doesn’t happen. only happens in low-income families, but that’s a myth.

Floyd has repeatedly said that victims don’t come forward to report abuse because they’re ashamed, embarrassed or don’t want to tarnish a respected reputation, but in doing so, the violence can gradually escalate and even lead to fatal consequences. She also said domestic violence is more about control than anger.

“Most people can go to their jobs and get along with co-workers or clients without having anger issues,” she said. “But then they go home and it’s a different situation that involves manipulation and control.”

She said some means of control are subtle, like someone tracking their spouse’s phone or car or trying to control relationships with family or friends.

“We also work with secondary victims such as family members of victims,” Floyd said. “They also suffer from the actions of the abuser and may need therapy and advocacy.”

Safe Harbor also provides free sexual assault examination nurses, therapy for children, education awareness classes, and other resources to the community.

The organization is in need of donations at this time and is actively seeking philanthropic partners to help complete phases two and three. Other items such as new clothes, hygiene supplies, basic household items, and office and school supplies are also needed.

The shelter is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The new facility will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The hotline is 801-444-9161. To donate, call 801-660-6101 or go to [email protected]

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