LITTLE ROCK, AR - Calling law enforcement is the immediate solution in cases of domestic violence, sexual abuse and sex trafficking. Safe Places helped in the aftermath.
"If she had never came here, she would be certainly dead today," said Nicolas Mayerhoeffer with Safe Places on one of the victims they've helped over the past ten years.
But after a decade of helping victims of violent crimes cope, money problems forced the non-profit to close it's doors.
"Theres a moment where you have to say no - we cannot do it anymore," said Mayerhoeffer.
Mayerhoeffer says it takes roughly $250,000 a year to help the 5,000 victims of violent crimes that come here looking for help.
The numbers are staggering. Over the past year, safe places has helped more than 400 child victims of family violence, almost 200 child victims of sexual abuse, 90 adults molested as children, 90 victims of sexual violence, 35 victims of sex trafficking and more than 1,300 victims of domestic violence in the Pulaski County area alone. This anonymous woman is one of them.
Mayerhoeffer says it can take years for a victim to be ready to talk. Leaving the hundreds of people that depend on the non-profit each week without a place to feel safe.
"What do you want to do?" said Mayerhoeffer. "Who will take the call? Who will step up?"
Mayerhoeffer says the organization was promised operating funds through grants and donations set to kick in at the beginning of the year but they have yet to see a dime and just couldn't hang on any longer.
