According to the National Violence Against Women Prevention Research Center, about 1/3 of all women raped will develop PTSD or cPTSD in thier lifetime. On average, there are 433,648 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault EACH YEAR in the United States (www.rainin.org) - that's 130,095 people per year that will likely develop PTSD in thier lifetime. The debilitating mental and physical aftermath from sexual assault can last a lifetime - we are here to help survivors regain the skills and confidence they need to lead a happy and productive life.

Our program is not just about service dogs, but overall wellness. We work hand-in-hand with a participant's counselor and family to make sure recovery includes the personal skills, confidence building and support he or she needs to get back to a happy and productive life. In addition, our program includes a 3 week extended-stay seminar in which participants not only bond and learn to work with their canine partner, but also acquire the coping skills to deal with thier anxiety, PTSD, and depression. We also offer a self defense component for those that are interested.

SAFE trains custom service dogs for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Each dog is custom-trained for its partner to help them deal with the trauma they have experienced so they can gain independence and feel comfortable and safe functioning in society. Many survivors of violent crime and abuse report a feeling of helplessness and isolation - a custom-trained SAFE service animal not only provides companionship but the support that is needed so survivors can get on with thier lives with confidence.