THE SHAFER CENTER FOR CRISIS INTERVENTION

What THE SHAFER CENTER FOR CRISIS INTERVENTION does

The Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention is a nonprofit organization founded in 1983 and headquartered in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, that provides free crisis intervention, advocacy, and prevention services to survivors of sexual assault and co-victims of homicide across 11 counties in Southeast Mississippi. The organization was originally established as the Hattiesburg Rape Crisis Center in response to the 'West Side Rapist' attacks on college-age women, and later rebranded to its current name. Its core service offering centers on a 24/7 crisis hotline ((601) 264-7777), 24-hour hospital first-responder accompaniment for forensic exams, individual and group counseling (in-person and via ZOOM), court advocacy, and assistance with Victim's Compensation applications. A specialized layer of services is delivered through the Sharing Our Strength (SOS) program, launched in 1994, which addresses the needs of homicide co-victims and surviving family members through counseling, support groups, and legal-proceeding accompaniment.

The organization's prevention and training portfolio includes Green Dot bystander intervention training, Safe Bars training for hospitality staff, Sexual Assault Certified Training for Police Officers (4 CEUs), and a Sexual Harassment Prevention Toolkit for employers. Underlying technology is minimal: there is no proprietary platform, and service delivery relies on conventional channels (telephone, video conferencing, in-person office visits, hospital and courthouse accompaniment). Geographic reach is regional, anchored by two physical offices in Hattiesburg and Laurel, and reinforced by partnerships with four regional colleges/universities (University of Southern Mississippi, Jones County Junior College, Pearl River Community College, William Carey University) and a sister-organization relationship with the Domestic Abuse Family Shelter.

The revenue model is a diversified nonprofit funding stack rather than a commercial pricing structure. All services are provided free of charge to clients. Operating funding comes from government grants (Office of Interpersonal Violence, Mississippi State Department of Health), contributions from United Way of Southeast Mississippi and United Way of the Pine Belt Region, private donations (including via Venmo), and substantial in-kind volunteer labor supporting the 24-hour help line. The leadership team is small and long-tenured, led by Executive Director Kim Newell, MS (with the organization since 1991), and the operating model is best characterized as a stable, community-embedded direct-service nonprofit rather than a scaling enterprise.

Name

THE SHAFER CENTER FOR CRISIS INTERVENTION

Legal name

The Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention

Website

https://theshafercenter.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention is a free, nonprofit crisis services provider serving survivors of sexual assault and co-victims of homicide across 11 counties in Southeast Mississippi from offices in Hattiesburg and Laurel, funded by government grants, United Way, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Crisis Intervention Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD), Behavioral Health Crisis Services Management (988/Hotlines/Mobile Crisis Coordination) (HLAEAHAK)

Keywords

• Crisis intervention services
• Sexual assault support
• Homicide survivor services
• Victim advocacy
• Rape crisis counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Hattiesburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: The Shafer Center receives funding from government sources including the Office of Interpersonal Violence and Mississippi State Department of Health to provide crisis intervention and sexual assault services.
2. United Way Contributions: Funding support from United Way of Southeast Mississippi and United Way of the Pine Belt Region as part of their nonprofit funding model.
3. Private Donations: Individual private donations and contributions from community members support operations.
4. Volunteer Services: Thousands of volunteer hours contribute to service delivery, including staffing the 24-hour help and support line.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention is a nonprofit community resource center that provides free crisis intervention and advocacy services for survivors of sexual assault and rape and for co-victims of homicide across 11 counties in southeast Mississippi. Core offerings include a 24/7 Help & Support Line, hospital first responder accompaniment for forensic exams, individual and group counseling, court advocacy, and Victim's Compensation assistance, complemented by community prevention education and bystander training programs.

Product overview

The Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention is a nonprofit, free community resource center offering a coordinated suite of crisis intervention services centered around sexual assault and homicide support. The core offering consists of a 24/7 Help & Support Line staffed by trained professionals and volunteers, combined with hospital first responders, individual and group counseling, court advocacy, and Victim's Compensation assistance. Educational modules include Green Dot bystander intervention training, Safe Bars training, and Sexual Harassment Prevention Toolkit. The Sharing Our Strength (SOS) Homicide Program provides specialized support for co-victims of homicide. All services are provided free of charge without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or sexual orientation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24/7 Help & Support Line

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Domestic Abuse Family ShelterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization with which The Shafer Center combines efforts when requested to provide additional 4-hour class on domestic violence along with sexual assault certified police training.
• University of Southern MississippicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorically significant partner - the Shafer Center originated from a crisis phone at USM counseling center in 1983. Continues to provide services to USM students and staff including Green Dot training, Title IX support, and campus-specific programming.
• Jones County Junior CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner college providing Title IX support and receiving Green Dot bystander intervention training services.
• Pearl River Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner college receiving campus sexual assault support services, Title IX coordination, and prevention training.
• William Carey UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university receiving campus sexual assault support and Title IX services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline and is the largest national anti-sexual-violence organization. Directly comparable as a sexual-assault crisis service provider and convener of state rape crisis center networks, but at vastly larger scale.
• National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: National advocacy and resource organization addressing domestic violence with hotline, education, and policy work. Adjacent peer given the Shafer Center's collaboration with the Domestic Abuse Family Shelter and overlapping interpersonal-violence focus.
• Joyful Heart Foundation: National nonprofit providing direct services, education, and advocacy for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. Comparable mission and service mix (crisis response plus prevention education), but operates at a national rather than regional level.

Direct peers

• Mississippi Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA): State-level coalition coordinating Mississippi's network of rape crisis centers, including the Shafer Center. Direct peer in service population and geographic coverage, with overlapping funding sources from state government.
• End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI): Provides training, technical assistance, and resources on sexual assault investigation and response, including the Sexual Assault Justice Institute. Directly comparable to the Shafer Center's Sexual Assault Certified Training for Police Officers and forensic exam accompaniment work.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: Operates a 24/7 crisis hotline plus digital chat and text channels for interpersonal violence survivors. Highly comparable to the Shafer Center's hotline and crisis-counseling model, but with a national scope and stronger digital infrastructure.

Emerging players

• Prevent Child Abuse America: National nonprofit dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect through chapters and prevention programs. Partially comparable to the Shafer Center's prevention education and online safety work related to child sexual abuse materials.
• Crisis Text Line: Provides free 24/7 text-based crisis support across the U.S. Comparable as a free crisis intervention channel, but differentiated by text-first delivery versus the Shafer Center's phone-and-in-person model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/shafercenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/shafer.center
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-shafer-center-for-crisis-intervention

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about THE SHAFER CENTER FOR CRISIS INTERVENTION