October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. SafeSpace, a local organization providing services to victims in a multi-county area including Sevier, is working to raise awareness about the cycle of domestic violence. The organization recently moved its outreach offices to a new Sevierville location at 509 High Street.
SafeSpace provides comprehensive support, including shelter, counseling, assistance with safety plans, and crisis intervention. The organization also accompanies victims to court, a service it provided 648 times from 2025 through the present. Additionally, SafeSpace helps victims obtain orders of protection.
Executive Director Van Makres emphasized that domestic violence extends beyond physical assault, fundamentally revolving around power and control. She referenced an extensive study conducted by the University of Duluth, Minnesota, in the early 1970s. This research, based on interviews with thousands of victims, led to the development of the “power and control wheel,” which illustrates how abuse often begins with subtle, non-criminal tactics.
Makres detailed various forms of domestic violence, including using coercion and threats, intimidation, emotional abuse through insults and mind games, and isolating victims from family and friends. Abusers may also use children against the victim, exert male privilege by treating the victim as a servant and making all significant decisions, and implement economic abuse, such as preventing employment, requiring requests for money, or taking the victim’s finances.
Makres noted that many offenders initially present as loving and affectionate, with telltale signs of control gradually emerging. Physical assaults often do not begin until the couple has moved in together, conceived a child, or married, by which point the abuser has established control over the victim.
The challenge of isolation is particularly acute in rural areas, according to Makres. Geographical isolation, combined with potential family ties of the abuser in the community, intensifies the victim’s predicament. This pervasive power and control often trap victims, as abusers typically hold all financial power and instill fear for the victim’s safety and that of their children if they attempt to leave.
Leaving an abusive relationship is identified as the most perilous time for a victim; 75 percent of domestic homicides occur when a victim is attempting to leave or has successfully left the relationship.
Domestic violence remains a severe issue in Tennessee. Makres cited the annual “When Men Murder Women” report by the FBI and the National Violence Policy Center, which consistently places Tennessee in the top 10 states for such incidents over the past two decades. Makres tragically confirmed that nine SafeSpace clients have been murdered during her 23 years with the organization. Most of these victims had either left the relationship or were actively taking steps to escape, with some even having divorces or orders of protection in place. Despite their efforts to achieve safety, survivors sometimes return to the SafeSpace shelter after their abuser locates them.
Programs such as Safe at Home are making it easier for SafeSpace and other agencies to support victims. This address confidentiality program enables survivors of domestic abuse to use an alternative address for utilities and other services, hindering an abuser’s ability to locate them. Enrollment requires meeting with a certified application assistant, and further information is available at SafeatHometn.com.
SafeSpace recognizes that survivors often attempt to leave an abusive relationship multiple times, typically five to seven times, before permanently departing. The organization commits to assisting victims at any stage of their journey, including planning for safety if they choose to return to an abuser, without judgment.
The process of leaving frequently involves numerous court appearances in both civil and criminal courts to address issues like divorce, child custody, and orders of protection. Trauma can impair a victim’s ability to recall events accurately, posing challenges for law enforcement during scene interviews. Makres highlighted the critical importance of training and expressed gratitude for partners, including local law enforcement, who are willing to learn more about domestic violence. SafeSpace and the Pigeon Forge Police Department are planning an upcoming training session with Mark Wynn, a nationally renowned trainer and consultant, with Makres and PFPD training officer Gary Campbell organizing the event, though a schedule has not yet been set.
Makres praised the resilience of domestic violence victims, stating that society often mischaracterizes them as “weak women.” She countered this perception, describing them as some of the strongest individuals she has encountered, enduring unimaginable circumstances. Makres emphasized the immense courage required to decide to leave, to call law enforcement after repeated offenses, and to navigate the criminal justice system to prosecute an abuser, facing them in court and revealing deeply personal details.
SafeSpace’s mission began in 1976 when a group of women in Cosby started sheltering women in their own homes. The Cosby Coalition Against Domestic Violence officially incorporated as a nonprofit in 1981, opening its first office in Newport City Hall in 1983. The first dedicated shelter opened in 1985, housing seven women and ten children on its second day of operation, and its role as a “safe space” inspired the organization’s current name.
Significant legislative and judicial advancements have supported domestic violence victims. In 1985, new legislation mandated law enforcement response to spousal abuse, requiring arrests. Sevier County established a dedicated Order of Protection Court in 2006, thanks to the efforts of then-Circuit Court Judge Rex Henry Ogle, now retired. SafeSpace further expanded its capacity with a new shelter in Jefferson County, breaking ground in 2008 and opening in 2009. The Tennessee Safe at Home Bill was implemented in 2018, providing confidential addresses for victims.
SafeSpace continues its fight for victims from its new outreach office in Sevierville at 509 High Street. This location serves as a resource for victims and community members seeking help or information, separate from the organization’s confidential shelter location. Legal advocate Grace Tarwater and Executive Director Van Makres were present at the new Sevierville office.
