Lavonia Police Promote National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

If you’ve driven by the Lavonia Police Department recently you may have seen a large banner displaying information for those needing help from domestic violence.

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and it’s one reason this year’s Faith and Blue Weekend is dedicated to helping victims rescued from a domestic violence situation.

Lavonia Police Chief Shane Edmisten is asking people this weekend to donate household items, clothes, and other necessities to their local churches and the police department to take to the Northeast Georgia Council on Domestic Violence next week.

The group has a safe house for women and children where they can get help and begin to start a new life.

The Northeast Georgia Council on Domestic Violence serves Elbert, Franklin, and Hart Counties, and all services for victims and children are free and confidential.

Edmisten says throughout his career he’s seen first-hand how domestic violence can destroy a family.

Chief Edmisten added he has instructed his officers to do what they can to help a woman get out of a violent situation but he says ultimately, victims must also be willing to take that first step.

Edmisten said while you’re loading up items to donate, remember to donate items for pets because the safe house even has an animal shelter so women escaping violence can bring their pets that many times also become victims of family violence.

Started in 1995 as a grass-roots citizen’s group dedicated to addressing domestic violence, today the Northeast Georgia Council on Domestic Violence not only provides a safe house for women and children but also provides outreach services to victims that do not require shelter.

They also help with legal advocacy and the agency has a Teen Program.

This past fiscal year, they have provided 34,141 units of services to 1,321 clients, including 520 adults, 107 families, 234 children, 567 teens, and 32 senior adults.

If you need help, you can call the 24-hour hotline at (706)376-7111 or 800-33-HAVEN.

For more information visit their website at https://negacdv.org/