We offer the resources and support to victims of domestic abuse that lead to a life free from violence.
Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center serves a seven-county area in northern Minnesota, including St. Louis, Koochiching, Aitkin, Lake, Carlton, Itasca and Cook counties. We provide services and education for more than 1,500 adults and children annually. We also accept referrals from other regions.
Our Mission
Provide safety, space to heal, advocacy, and empowerment for women, children, and all survivors of domestic violence.
Our Core Values
- Safety
- Equity
- Teamwork
- Empowerment
- Compassion
Our Philosophy
Safe Haven believes that domestic violence is rooted deep within our culture. It originates from within the same social fabric of institutional oppression, which spawns racism, ageism, sexism, heterosexism, cissexism, classism, religious bigotry, and discrimination against people who have disabilities.
Safe Haven seeks to strike a balance between offering services to diverse victims while working toward the erosion of the cultural facilitators. We are committed to providing shelter, safety and advocacy for the individual victims and survivors of domestic violence. At the same time, we understand the necessity of action to move toward the elimination of social oppression of women and gender minorities.
Because violence against women and gender minorities is so deeply rooted in our culture, we recognize the need for a multifaceted approach to the issue, including development of an effective response to the criminal justice, medical, religious, and social systems. We believe it is necessary to raise community awareness through publicizing the issue and through education in our schools and community organizations.
Finally, we recognize that every person carries the cultural seed out of which oppression rises. We believe that each of us, as individuals, must take responsibility to look within ourselves to identify our own attachment to beliefs and values which justify another’s oppression. We believe that change must start there, within ourselves.
Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, affectional orientation or gender identity, political affiliation, marital status, status with respect to public assistance, disability, or age in the delivery of services or employment practices.