Our History

As the oldest and largest locally-founded agency serving abused women and teens in the St. Louis region, Safe Connections is essential core of resources and support for survivors of violence. Safe Connections is the only agency providing integrated services for women who have been victimized by domestic violence, sexual assault, rape and/or childhood sexual abuse.

Safe Connections was founded in 1976 as a true grassroots crisis phone line. Early on, it became obvious that counseling services for victims of abuse were needed, and therapists joined the small staff. Today, Safe Connections’ crisis counseling and therapy clients are women and girls who have been physically and emotionally abused in their private relationships, who have been raped, and who are adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. In 1988, recognizing that breaking the cycle of violence must include reaching adolescents, a violence prevention curriculum was introduced in schools across the metropolitan area. Since then, more than 100,000 teenagers have learned how to have healthy, violence-free relationships.

Safe Connections is the only domestic violence/sexual assault counseling agency in St. Louis to be accredited by the Council on Accreditation, due to our “best practice” standards covering governance, human resources, financial management, and program services. We are also a Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity and maintain a top rating with the United Way of Greater St. Louis.