Story by: Julia Ewoldt

JACKSON, Tenn. — It’s the one-stop shop you go to when you’re in need of support after domestic violence.

“Brownsville was awarded a grant to establish a family justice center,” Daryl Chansuthus, director of Women’s Resource and Rape Assistance Program, said.

The family justice center in Brownsville is going to be similar to what people in Jackson know as the Safe Hope Center.

“Victims of domestic violence and assault can go, and if they need to meet with police, they can meet with police. If they need to meet with an advocate, they can meet with an advocate. If they need to meet with legal aid, they can meet with legal aid,” Chansuthus said.

Haywood County’s domestic violence rate is No. 1 for the 19 counties WRAP serves. They hope this center will have the same effect Jackson’s did.

“When we first established the center, our numbers went up. They doubled in terms of the number of people reaching out for services,” the director said.

She says the community is already on board.

“We already have a building. We’ve already been talking about it, making plans for it,” Chansuthus said. “We encourage the community if you have furniture, you want to help paint, do things to spruce the building up, make it a warm, comfortable place for survivors to come and be supported.”

The grant runs for three years, but WRAP hopes to have the center up and running as soon as possible.\

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