Emergency shelter set to open in Stephenson County

FREEPORT, Ill. (AP) - Stephenson County will soon have something it's never had before: An emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

By early September, an organization called VOICES that assists domestic violence and sexual assault survivors will open in its Freeport building temporary living quarters for as many as 20 people.

The Rockford Register Star reports that with the shelter, VOICES, which serves about 700 survivors a year, will for the first time be able to provide shelter in the northern Illinois county instead of sending those who need shelter to another county.

Jennifer Cacciapaglia, a member of the board of directors for the Family Peace Center in Rockford as well as manager of the Mayor's Office of Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking Prevention, said it's 'œcritically'ť important for the county to have its own shelter.

'œThe fact that they are going to be able to open a space that so many people in their region are going to able to avail themselves to in times of crisis is wonderful,'ť she said.

And Deputy Chief Travis Davis of the Freeport Police Department, whose officers encounter domestic violence cases every day, said, "Having the in-town shelter will benefit the entire community.'ť