Facility countywide comfort DV victims/Sarah's House/AZ Facility to offer countywide comfort for violence victims
By JIM SECKLER
Sunday, May 14, 2006 8:27 PM PDT
KINGMAN - It is named after an 11-month-old Kingman girl who died September 1990 from injuries believed caused from a blow to the head.
Sarah's House, the victim's advocacy organization that is part of the Mohave County Attorney's Office, will soon move into its new 3,500-square foot office in Kingman, Sarah's House Director Sheila King said.
After years of planning, scrambling for financing and numerous headaches, the two-story building, is expected to open in June.
The county is leasing the land, located behind the Katherine Heidenreich Adult Center on Airway Avenue, to the non-profit organization.
Sarah's House, named after Sarah Milam, is a safe haven for victims of violent sexual assaults, survivors of suicides, natural deaths or fatal traffic crashes.
Once convicted for Sarah Milam's murder, John Lee DeBarge Sr., 41, is again charged with first-degree murder and child abuse.
DeBarge 1991 conviction for murder was over turned five years ago. His case is currently pending in Mohave County Superior Court.
At one time Sarah's House was located at the county attorney's office before moving into a cramped 1,200-square foot office next to the Kingman Police Department about five years ago.
Sarah's House must vacate that building by mid-June, Deputy Civil Mohave County Attorney Bill Ekstrom said.
The victim’ advocacy center is not a shelter for over night stays but a place for victims of rape or domestic violence to go for exams and interviews instead of a police station or hospital.
“It's a place that is more sensitive to the needs and rights of the victims,” Ekstrom said.
Mohave County has a high level of domestic violence and child abuse partly because of the poverty level and partly because many victims do not come forward.
Victims are more likely to come to a safe neutral setting like Sarah's House instead of a police station, King said.
The new building will have two interviews rooms and a third room for law enforcement to audio and video tape the interviews with victims of sexually assaults.
The building will also have a conference and training rooms, a playroom for children with a two-way mirror, shower facilities for victims and an exam room staffed by nurses downstairs, King said.
Also downstairs will be offices for a domestic violence counselor. Upstairs will be offices for victim advocates, law enforcement and a training room.
Sarah's House currently has three on-call nurses who must travel to Bullhead City and even Peach Springs.
King said the Sarah's House fields about 50 phone calls a day. Personally, King responded to four 911 calls the other day.
Etta's Place, which was once the Tri-State Victim Center, closed down two months ago after two years in Bullhead City.
Sarah's House also has a new $35,000 colposcope plus an older model once used at Etta's Place. Two nurses on call in Bullhead City now have to bring victims to Kingman.
Long-range plans may include a branch of Sarah's House in Bullhead City but just getting the Kingman building built is a major accomplishment, Ekstrom said.
King needs volunteer advocates possibly using seniors from the senior center next door. Seniors who are also victims and reluctant to go to police can soon go next door to Sarah's House.
King also badly needs a volunteer grant writer to fill out applications for state or federal grant funding.
The total cost of the building would have been about $500,000 but almost all the labor and materials for the building were donated by local contractors in the Kingman area.
King said a 24-hour answering service should already be in place. Call 718-5522 or visit Sarah's House new Web site at www.sarahs-house.net.http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2006/05/15/news/local/local7.txt
Forumer™ is Voted #1 Free Forum Hosting provider
Build your own community today with the largest message board hosting company.