MYRTLE BEACH (WBTW) – Horry County’s only domestic abuse safe house for women looking to get away from their abusers is now closed.
Two years ago, a program called Life Line opened to women and children who are victims of domestic violence.
They could stay in the safe house for up to 60 days, and received clothing, shelter and counseling.
The building is now being used as a facility for the homeless, specifically women and children who are in need, but not in immediate danger.
Officials with New Directions, Life Line’s parent organization, say they made the change because too often, many of the shelter’s 25 beds were left empty.
Kathy Jenkins, executive director of New Directions, said they received 294 calls from women in need last year, but 213 were not in immediate danger, they just needed a place to stay.
“81 women were determined to be in imminent danger, the average stay, was 40 out of 60 days. When you calculate that out we’re looking at 8 women a night who were staying with us last year,” said Jenkins.
Jenkins says transitioning the shelter from an abuse safe house to a shelter, will allow the group to help more people in need.
“We determined there was a huge void here. Women and children falling through the cracks, victims of domestic violence or other crimes and they had no place to go,” she said.
Life Line now refers clients who need to get away from their abusers to the Family Justice Center, in Georgetown County.
Co-executive director Beverly Kennedy says they will provide services for anyone who needs it, from Horry County or elsewhere.
She adds while the working relationship with New Directions is still good, taking over the needs of both counties will put a strain on the groups resources.
