MIDLAND, Texas — October is Domestic Violence Awareness month.
For nearly 45 years, Safe Place of the Permian Basin has offered resources, services and support to survivors of domestic violence. Back in May, the facility opened its newest location in Midland, nearly doubling its size.
"This new location really involves security to a new level [...] We have private parking for our clients, we have private units for families, private bathrooms, a wonderful playground that the kids can use because a lot of our clients are children that come with their mom or their dad depending on the situation and they get to run freely," said Lee Anna Good, the director of development for Safe Place of the Permian Basin.
This time last year, Safe Place housed approximately 30 people. However, the organization currently houses nearly 70 people.
"It's a day-to-day situation with numbers because people come and go for various reasons, but especially now that we're in the new facility, we definitely have seen an increase and what's really startling is how many people come with their children," Good said. "Now, while we know that the parent needs a lot of help, with these children we want to break that cycle of domestic violence and make sure that they don't grow up to either be abusers or have to be clients of ours that they understand there's a healthy way to live."
According to the Texas Council on Family Violence, last year, 205 Texans were killed by their intimate partners, including four people from Midland County and two people from Ector County.
Safe Place of the Permian Basin also offers a program for persons who batter called Project Adam, where they join a 24-week program and learn about the cycle of violence.
"Domestic violence can start with emotional control, it can be financial control, it can be isolation from other family members or friends," Good said. "Eventually it can lead to violence where it's physical. Strangling is one of the number one things that happens with domestic violence right now."
Safe Place of the Permian Basin offers a 24/7 hotline at 1-800-967-8928. The organization offers shelter and non-resident victim services free of charge to those who experience domestic abuse.
Services may include shelter, food, clothing, victim and legal advocacy, counseling in both English and Spanish and a children's program.
"We're here 24 hours a day and [victims] can determine what the best course of action is, because one of our advocates will be here to talk through with them," Good said. "But don't think it's your fault. Don't assume that you're doing something wrong and don't assume you can fix your partner. You have to just say, look, I might have made a bad choice, but I need to get out of this and my children, if that's the case, need to get out of this."
Safe Place of the Permian Basin in Midland is located on 4629 Andrews Hwy, 79703.