SAVES Sexual Assault Victims Emergency Services - Support, Advocacy, Education: Creating Change
 

TTY for deaf and hard of hearing:
1-800-458-5599

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For nearly 30 years, SAVES has helped people in Franklin County, Maine recover from the trauma of sexual violence. Through educational programs designed to reshape common attitudes and beliefs that make sexual violence common,SAVES also works to prevent sexual violence. Please, help SAVES to keep helping.
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A Survivor's Story:

"On the outside I looked fine, yet on the inside I was in complete turmoil. I had been abused for much of my childhood and had never been at a place where I could process through my experiences. Over time, I couldn’t hold things back anymore.
Then a friend told me about SAVES. . .
I soon found that the people at SAVES actually listened to me and didn’t judge me. I found myself sharing my life experiences, the joys, struggles, and pain."

More Survivors' Stories

Why does SAVES have 3 helpline numbers?

1-800-871-7741 is a state-wide number that works best for landline phones.

This number is maintained by the Maine Coalition against Sexual Asasult. When someone in Maine calls this number, the call is automatically routed to the helpline for the sexual assault support center that serves the area from which the call is placed. However, this only works if the phone number's prefix (the first 3 digits) matches the location from which the call is placed.

Click here for a listing of all 9 member centers of the Maine Coalition against Sexual Assault and the areas served by each.

As an example of how this system was designed to work: SAVES serves Franklin County, and when someone calls the state-wide number from a phone with a prefix associated with Franklin County, the call is automatically routed to SAVES' helpline. This system was designed about 15 years ago and works great with landlines.

But these days, cell phones are common. Cell phones can be taken anywhere, and if the state-wide number listed above is dialed from a cell phone, the caller may be routed to a center in another area. See the section below for more information.

 

1-866-740-9516 is only for cell-phone callers when they are physically located in Franklin County.

This number is maintained by SAVES and is for cell phone users in Franklin County only. If you are a cell phone user in Franklin County and trying to call SAVES' helpline, please call 1-866-740-9516 to ensure that you are connected with our helpline. Here's why:

Let's pretend someone named Sally wants to call our helpline. If Sally's cell phone company is located outside of Franklin County, her cell phone number probably does not match Franklin County telephone numbers. So when she calls the state-wide MECASA helpline number mentioned above, her call will be routed to a helpline that serves a different area. Although Sally would receive emotional support from another helpline, she would not have access to the full range of services that SAVES could provide her within Franklin County.


1-800-458-5599 is a state-wide number for TTY/TDD devices.

This state-wide number is maintained by the Maine Coalition against Sexual Assault, and is designated for TTY/TDD devices used by the deaf, hard of hearing, speech-impaired, and others challenged by a voice-only telephone conversation.

When someone calls this number from a TTY/TDD device, the call is answered by another TTY/TDD operator who serves as an intermediary. The operator calls the helpline for the appropriate center and reads the caller's messages to the helpline advocate. The operator listens to the helpline advocate's responses and keys those into the device. In this way, those who need to use a TTY/TDD can access the same confidential helpline services as others.