Anyone feeling threatened or unsafe in Nelson won’t have to look far for a safe place to go. Businesses all around Nelson are making the area a safer place with the Safe Haven program.
Participating businesses, or Safe Havens, are marked by a yellow Safe Haven sticker in their front windows, which means anyone who feels at risk can go inside to use the phone and wait for help to arrive.
The network, loosely modeled after the Block Parent program, was created with women in mind, particularly women fleeing domestic abuse or other violent situations. The more support a woman knows is available to her, the more likely she is to try to get out of an unsafe situation.
Staff at participating businesses are provided with basic information about domestic abuse and violence, what might be expected, and what resources are available in the community. All Safe Havens also have a comprehensive list of emergency telephone numbers
More than 20 businesses in Nelson and along the North Shore have put up the yellow sticker in their windows to contribute to community safety.
Safe Haven has been a program of the Advocacy Centre for over 10 years, established in 1999 in partnership with the West Kootenay Women’s Council.
If you are interested in making your business a Safe Haven, contact the Advocacy Centre, 521 Vernon Street, 250-352-5777.