Mary's house of hope

For many of us, our home is the safest place we know, a personal sanctuary where we can retreat and relax. For survivors of domestic violence, though, their homes are not havens. Their homes are cocoons of fear. To escape the abuse, women and men, and their children, need a comprehensive program of education, therapy and counseling, court advocacy, and above all, a secure environment.

They need A Safe Place.

Our residential program is the only emergency shelter for domestic violence in Jefferson County. Serving the greater St. Louis area and surrounding counties, A Safe Place provides services to meet the immediate needs of domestic violence survivors including physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, psychological, or the destruction of property or pets.

While staying at A Safe Place, survivors learn to break the cycle of violence through individual counseling, support groups, education, and comprehensive parenting, fitness, and wellness programs. Over time and through work with a variety of providers, residents replace their feelings of dependency with self-sufficiency. They learn to build their self-esteem, and work on assertiveness, communication and decision-making skills. They receive assistance with nutrition, budgeting, housing options, job searches, and career planning, in addition to full primary care, dental care, and mental health services. Because every resident is unique, we offer individualized plans that coordinate all services, providing the optimal opportunity for each person to be restored to wholeness.

Adults aren’t the only victims of domestic violence. Children who grow up in abusive homes frequently learn violence as an acceptable means of resolving conflict and exerting control. These children are more likely to become victims or perpetrators as adults. A Safe Place offers assistance to these youngest survivors through counseling, recreational activities, child play therapy, and art therapy. A Safe Place also offers a Pet Protection Program to ensure domestic animal safety.

A Safe Place empowers residents and their children to rise above the pain of domestic abuse and begin a new, safer and healthier life, where they can transform from victim to survivor.

Mary's House of Hope is supported by financial gifts, grants, volunteer time and services, and donations of supplies. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law. COMTREA is a private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization.