The tragic beating of a woman, allegedly by the hand of her boyfriend, shows the brutal dangers, of domestic violence.
SafeNet is a local domestic violence safety network.
They open their doors to hundreds of abuse victims each year.
In this brutal assault case, a 51 year old woman was beaten to death, police say by her boyfriend.
According to investigators, the two had been dating on and off for about 3 months.
It's a story that's especially disconcerting for those at SafeNet.
SafeNet of Erie offers shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and education to victims of domestic violence.
Linda Lyons-King is SafeNet's Executive Director, she says hundreds of victims and their children come to their shelter to escape physical abuse, and threats of violence.
They offer emergency shelter.
But also lots of support programs and other services, to try and help break the cycle of abuse.
"Shelter doesn't really cure anything, it allows a woman to get out of the situation. The healing process takes a while, and for that we have our non-residential and ongoing counseling and then of course the courts can help. And we have a legal counselor, and we assist women if they need protection under the law, a PFA." Said King.
SafeNet says 850 to 1200 PFA's or protection from abuse orders are filed in Erie county, every year.
SafeNet's crisis hotline is 454-8161.
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