Domestic violence services available on Sprint PCS speed dial

Daniela Mohor

Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2001 | 8:37 a.m.

Members of Safe Nest, a local organization assisting battered women, and the communications company Sprint PCS have started a partnership that allows the firm's customers to directly access domestic violence services.

By dialing #SDV (which stands for Stop Domestic Violence), Southern Nevada Sprint PCS customers will now be directly connected to the organization's Domestic Violence 24-hour Hotline.

Spring PCS spokeswoman Detra Page said the free number "gives customers direct contact with a Safe Nest counselor, who can provide them with the assistance they need."

This includes counseling, referrals and the processing of emergency protection orders, among other things.

The #SDV service works on Sprint PCS phones only and is limited to users in the 702 area code. It is an extension of a program Sprint PCS started last year to give free use of cellular phones to victims of domestic violence.

At that time the company provided four shelters for battered women with 25 free phones each. The phones were pre-programmed to call 911.

Sprint PCS then continued its effort by collecting donated cell phones and redistributing them to the shelters. This year alone more than 1,100 cell phones were received, said Lou Emmert, vice president and general manager of Sprint of Nevada.

Because it is not restricted to the shelters' population, Sprint PCS officials say, the creation of a new free number goes a step further.

"This is a much larger commitment because we have many thousands of customers in Southern Nevada who can take advantage of this service," Page said.

More than 6 million women in the United States are victims of domestic abuse each year. In 2000, more than 20,000 incidents were reported in Nevada. This year in Las Vegas, 23 people have been killed as a result of domestic violence, according to Abigail Silver, chief deputy district attorney.

In many cases, Safe Nest officials say, having a cell phone can save victims from serious attacks.

When victims leave a domestic violence situation, Safe Nest spokeswoman Lisa Lynn Chapman explained, they are often stalked and harassed by the perpetrator. Being able to call 911 at any time is therefore critical for them. And the #SDV service, she added, will definitely be a plus.

Chapman said #SDV is not an emergency number.

"However, when the victims need an emergency protective order or an emergency shelter, if they can remember this number, we can arrange that for them," Chapman said. "It will ease access for victims to the services they need."