In the U.S., more than 1 in 3 women (nearly 43.5 million) and more than 1 in 6 men (20.7 million) will experience some form of domestic violence in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
You would be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t been affected either directly or through someone they know.
A “frightening experience” in her own life put Beth Flory on the path to a career with S.A.F.E. House, a nonprofit that works to prevent domestic violence and provide assistance to victims. She joined the organization in 2009 and has served as its CEO since 2021.
S.A.F.E. House — which stands for Stop Abuse in the Family Environment — this year is marking the 30th anniversary of its Henderson shelter. Between the shelter and its advocacy and outreach programs, it has helped an estimated 125,000 people, the majority of whom have been women.
We recently talked with Flory about her work, the nonprofit’s mission and the rising prevalence of domestic violence. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Las Vegas Review-Journal: S.A.F.E. House is marking its 30th anniversary this year. How did it come to be?
Beth Flory: Technically, we’re 32 years old, but the 62-bed shelter was built 30 years ago. We were founded by Julie Proctor and her late husband, Ken Proctor. He was a municipal court judge in Henderson; she was a survivor of domestic abuse with her first husband. Julie Proctor said they had a deal with St. Rose Dominican Hospital and they rented us one of their townhomes for something like $1 a year. Ken Proctor saw that more beds were needed, especially in the Henderson area. The city gifted us the land and they built the shelter on it at that time. We went from 12 beds to 62 now. It’s the only shelter of any kind in Henderson.
Where is the shelter?
It’s an undisclosed location. Our building is secured on the outside, and we have video cameras. You can leave out the door, but you can’t just come in. We have a really good relationship with the Henderson Police Department. Sometimes officers will sit in our parking lot between calls. They hang out and make their presence known.
How did you become involved with S.A.F.E. House?
I grew up in southeast Michigan and was a supervisor in various facilities. I worked for a while in a juvenile detention facility in Detroit, and with people with traumatic brain injuries, managing group homes for teenaged boys. After moving to Las Vegas I was looking to work at a domestic violence type of organization, and S.A.F.E. House’s ad was in the R-J. I was interested, generally, in the issue of domestic violence against women. I had an attacker in Michigan. I realize how lucky I was, but it was still a frightening experience.
How have you seen issues related to domestic violence change over the years?
One of the biggest changes is technology. With some of the apps that we may find helpful, you can tell people’s locations. That is dangerous for our clients because abusers can track their location through their phone. We’ve had abusers show up at the shelter. They also get into their emails and text messages.
Does domestic violence affect all age groups?
With teens, it is a huge issue. Teen dating violence is one of the reasons I’m in the field. I have a cousin who was in an abusive relationship in high school and I witnessed it. This starts with the first relationship they have, things that a teen is worrying about: “Oh, he tells me what to wear; he loves me.” Or, “He’s texting me all day long.”
What sort of outreach do you do?
We have a community engagement manager. We will do speaking events anywhere. We have training at businesses. We train with staff at all of the charter schools, working with students on healthy relationships.
Is domestic abuse growing more prevalent?
We see increasing numbers each year. We rank high. Sometimes that’s because people are more willing to call and get help. Domestic abuse shelters didn’t start popping up until the late ’70s and ’80s. I’m optimistic that more people will continue to get help and the services they need. I believe in the mission. It’s a beautiful space to work in.
To learn more about S.A.F.E. House, visit safehousenv.org or call 702-451-4203. Its 24-hour hotline is 702-564-3227.
Benefit pickleball tourney
Dinking for a Difference, a benefit pickleball tournament for S.A.F.E. House, is planned for 2 to 5 p.m. May 3 (with check-in at 1:30 p.m.) at Chicken N Pickle, 3381 St. Rose Parkway in Henderson.
Tournament-participant tickets are $100 and spectator tickets are $50 and include a T-shirt, food and yard games. For tickets and details, visit safehousenv.org or call 702-451-4203.
