© 2009 Living Waters

Safe Houses for abused women and children

Domestic violence, rape and abuse continues to plague the women and children of our society.  To assist in the alleviation of this scourge, Living Waters runs a number of established safe houses, that serve not only Buffalo City, but women and children from around the nation. Working in conjunction with the South African Police Services and Social Workers, this program has assisted numerous victims become survivors.

Entry into the safe house program is through referral only, and victims may stay for up to three months, depending on the assessment of each individual case, by the police and social workers.

Each house is run as a large household, and victims are encouraged, where possible, to continue with their usual employment and schooling.  Where the victims are unemployed, they may slot into one of the variety of skills training  programs available at the Living Waters Centre.

We have found that by offering this holistic approach to the problem of gender violence, victims become victors, and are able to become positive role players within their communities.

Interior of safe house

Picture posed