DEER LODGE, MT — Safe Space, a nonprofit organization based in Butte that provides critical support for victims of domestic and sexual violence, is expanding its services to the rural communities of Powell County with the opening of a new satellite office in Deer Lodge. The move comes after a tumultuous year for the organization, marked by a significant embezzlement scandal and rising concerns about the escalating rates of intimate partner homicides in Montana.
Leigha Bates, the office lead at the newly opened Deer Lodge location, recently presented a disturbing graph that highlights the growing fatalities associated with intimate partner homicides in Montana from 2000 to 2018. Her voice shook with emotion as she discussed the statistics, stressing the importance of addressing the issue head-on. Bates, who has not personally experienced domestic violence, said that she had witnessed its devastating effects on individuals and families throughout her career.
According to a 2023 report by the Montana Department of Justice, 30 violent incidents between 2019 and 2021 resulted in 48 deaths. Bates emphasized that homicides linked to domestic violence have surged by 153% in just the past two years, underscoring the urgent need for improved policies and support systems to prevent further loss of life.
“It affects everybody,” said Rachael Weaver, the executive director of Safe Space. “We can’t have the little boys and little girls thinking that this is okay because it’s not. And they’ll grow up and they’ll do what they see, and that’s the sad truth of it.”
Safe Space has been supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Southwest Montana for over 50 years. Weaver and Bates both agree that the organization’s expansion into Powell County will have a profound and positive impact on the community, offering much-needed resources and services to those in rural areas who may have been previously underserved.
Bates pointed to data from the Montana Department of Justice to highlight the importance of reaching these communities. By expanding its presence in rural regions, Safe Space hopes to better allocate resources, address the root causes of violence, and work toward reducing domestic violence fatalities in the future.
While Safe Space’s mission remains focused on ending the intergenerational cycle of domestic violence, the organization faced a significant setback in 2024. A former board member, Amy Schulte, was found to have embezzled more than $32,000 from the nonprofit’s savings account. The incident shocked both the organization and its supporters, casting a shadow over its financial integrity.
However, the organization’s leadership acted quickly to address the situation. Weaver, who discovered the embezzlement in July 2024, reassured the public that safeguards have been put in place to prevent future misuse of donations. Schulte pleaded guilty to the embezzlement charges in December and returned the stolen funds. She was sentenced to a one-year deferred sentence, meaning that if she abides by the conditions of her probation, no further legal consequences will follow.
Despite the setback, Weaver is confident in Safe Space’s future. “Going forward, we’re going to try to put it in our past and now we are good to go,” she said. “This will be nice, and we have our fundraiser coming up too.”
As Safe Space looks ahead, the new satellite office in Deer Lodge represents the first major expansion of the organization’s services in its history. The nonprofit is optimistic that this new chapter will help the organization continue its vital work in Southwest Montana, offering a lifeline to those in need.
For those experiencing domestic or sexual violence, Safe Space offers a crisis hotline at 406-782-8511.
