Family Safety Center Closer to Reality

Memphis, Tn - The 11,000 square foot space on the top floor of the Madison Professional Building sits dark, empty and unkempt. We're told there are big plans for the space.

Months ago, the long dreamed-of Family Safety Center was supposed to open its doors to victims of domestic violence. That never happened.

District Attorney General Amy Weirich says the project has been slow-going for several reasons, “A lot of the challenges are purely fiscal, purely monetary, and getting the money together, the funding together to make sure if we do this, we're going to do it right.”

One of the major delays in streamlining services is the building, 1399 Madison, originally chosen to be the new location for the Family Safety Center. But, when the county and the landlord couldn't come to terms on their agreement, the deal was scrapped and the county was forced to start over

That was back in the fall when we first took a look at the audit.
That deal fell through under Program Director Connie Ross.
Ross was replaced by Linda Miller in October as interim director.
Miller says a deal was finally struck just down the road at 1750 Madison. This proved to be the perfect place due to its central location, access to public transportation, and free, off-street parking.

Domestic Violence Prosecutor Karen Cook says, “The victim will not get so discouraged and give up and I think that's part of the problem right now. They give up because there is too many places to go, it seems insurmountable, and end up going back to the situation they are trying to get out of.”

Right now Cook says navigating the system down at 201 Poplar can be overwhelming. It’s estimated, victims have to make 7 or 8 stops to connect with various services. With this new model, organizers hope to help break the cycle of violence sooner.

“This will give them that one location where all the services they need are in one place,” says Miller.

Miller showed us blueprints of the space boasting private offices and meeting areas for victims to safely tell their horrifying tales of abuse to investigators, counselors, and prosecutors.

The floor plan also shows a safe place for children. These small victims of domestic violence are often left out of the equation. The District Attorney's office will also have a presence inside the office.

“This is a very grand plan, getting all of the agencies together, it takes a lot of hard work,” says Weirich.

The Memphis Sexual Assault Resource Center and the Crime Victims Center are also set to open offices in the building.

Miller thinks it’s a great idea, “this will be a real hub for victim services, so we think it'll be a model for the country.”

“We just have to reach a point in the community when we stop hitting the people we say I love you to,” says Weirich.

While progress is slow, it’s ongoing, as it has been since 2006, when the idea was first born. After years of talks, research, and false starts, the time is almost here, a time to change the way we help victims get help.