About Us
We are a nonprofit, free community resource center that provides support when you need it the most. Our staff and volunteers are highly trained to provide support and advocacy for crisis situations for individuals and surviving family members of violent crimes including: sexual assault, rape, suicide, and homicide.
Our Mission:
Our Mission:
The Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention is a social change agency that is dedicated to serving all survivors of sexual violence and co-victims of violent death, including homicide and suicide, at any point following their experience through exemplary direct services, advocacy, education, training and activism.
Our Mission:
Our Mission
The Beginning of Shafer Center
The Shafer Center got its start as a red phone in the counseling center of the University of Southern Mississippi. There was an overwhelming need of support for victims in the Hattiesburg area after what headlines had dubbed the "West Side Rapist" began sexually assaulting college age women. The number of survivors began to increase and it was suggested that a counseling center might be helpful. In 1983 several USM staff and students came together to form what was then known as the Hattiesburg Rape Crisis Center. Since then the name has been changed to the Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention, but the mission remains the same. The Shafer Center has helped hundreds of men and women cope with the tragedy of sexual assault, homicide, and suicide.
The Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention serves 11 counties in Mississippi.
Covington, Forrest, Greene, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Perry, Jones, Lamar, Marion, Smith, and Wayne.
We provide services to women, children and men of all ages that are primary and secondary victims. We have provided our services to all genders, race, sexual orientation and marital status. Additionally, The Shafer Center works closely with the University of Southern Mississippi to provide supportive services and education to it’s staff, employees and students.
ALL Services Are FREE!
It is the policy of the Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention to provide all services without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, handicap, age or sexual orientation.
Who Do We Serve?
Where We Get Our Funding
The Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention is a nonprofit organization. We receive funding from the following list.
Here is a list of those who help keep us up and running:
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University of Southern Mississippi
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Victims of Crime Act Grant (VOCA)
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Mississippi State Department of Health
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Forrest County Board of Supervisors
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Violence Against Women Act Grant (VAWA)
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United Way of Southeast Mississippi
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United Way of the Pine Belt Region
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Various private donations and contributions
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Thousands of Volunteer Hours