Welcome to the SAFE site!

ESCAPE button?  (located upper right corner of every page)

  Welcome to SAFE's website. The website is a place where anyone can find information, resources and assistance. We encourage those effected by domestic violence and sexual assault to give us a call at 885-7233. 

We're here for you 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Free.

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Team SAFE

Melissa, Nancy, Ron and Patti

 Llama Rama 2009

The Llama Rama was "the most fun I've had playing golf" stated Melissa of Team SAFE, "but then again I've never played golf ". "And the llamas" she added, "they were even more enjoyable than I expected, and I had high expectations".

Ron was the star player. He hit the grass further than anyone on our team. "I know I have a positive attitude because I kept looking for the ball in the sky and it kept being on the ground."

Patti from team SAFE began to complain by the secon hole. She said the "her sides were hurting too much". She added "I was shocked at how funny it is to be so bad at golf". 

Nancy from Team SAFE stated, "Even though we had never played golf, I was proud my team came away with a prize" (for the most lost balls).  Three hours of play and only 7 holes down, Nancy had "a life to get back to".

Jewel, a friend of Ron was happy to step in for Nancy. Jewel added to our prize by showing us how to hit the ball and nothing of how to find the ball. Having conquered the sport of golf, team SAFE is looking toward a new sport to take on, "purhaps bowling" Jewel challenged. 

Thank You to all

The Llama Rama 2009 Sponsors

Stew's Heating and Air

Linda Melrose

 Local News

North Carolina Among the Eight States

North Carolina, Idaho, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Wyoming and the District of Columbia do not prohibit insurance companies from claiming 'Pre-existing' condition for domestic violence. 

A recent CNN article reignites the issue of insurance companies claiming domestic violence as a 'pre-existing' condition. The topic is back in the federal spotlight with fourty two states already having a ban on the claims.

Washington Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat, told CNN that she heard about the issue several years ago while talking to women who trying to escape abusive relationships.

One of the women "told me that she did not report her domestic violence because her health insurance company would drop her. I [initially] didn't believe" the woman, Murray said.

One Republican opposed to the amendment, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, argued that it's "deplorable to deny coverage to victims of domestic violence. However, states should be responsible for regulating insurance markets."

Change is on the horrizon as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. "You've survived domestic violence, and now you are discriminated [against] in the insurance market because you have a pre-existing medical condition. Well, that will all be gone."

Surprisingly the a spokesman for an association representing health insurance companies backed the proposed change.

"No one should be denied coverage because they are a victim of domestic abuse," said Robert Zirkelbach, spokesman for America's Health Insurance Plans.

 Even more surprising is the fact that we are discussing the topic in the first place. Profit verses human value should never be in question.

 National News

Rihanna's Voice

Rihanna Speaks out for the first time on ABC's 20/20. The interview with Dianne Sawyer takes place over two night period so please watch both Part I and Part 2  of the interview.

ABC's website quotes part of the interview; "It wasn't the same person that says I love you. It was not those... eyes," she told Sawyer in the interview. "He had ... no soul in his eyes. Just blank. ...He was clearly blacked out. There was no person when I looked at him."

The assault left the 21-year-old battered and bruised, and Brown was sentenced to five years of probation, community labor, and one year of domestic-violence counseling.

"All I kept thinking all the time: When is it going to stop? When it is going to stop?" she said.

After the attack, Rihanna briefly reunited with Brown, but said that she never forgave him.

Rihanna is no longer with Brown and realizes that going back was the wrong message, the wrong thing for her and that she is in a better place now.

Rihanna is concerned about teen dating violence. She has a list of links and resources on the website of the interview.

Please call SAFE or another domestic violence agency for help-  24/7 - 365!

Did you ever wonder...

What exactly does SAFE do for the community?                                      

    Our name stands for Shelter Available for Family Emergencies. We are dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault in Transylvania County.