In 1995, the Chittenden County Domestic Violence Taskforce created the Same Sex Domestic and Sexual Violence Subcommittee out of which SafeSpace was created. Members of that Subcommittee included representatives from the Women’s Rape Crisis Center, Women Helping Battered Women, Outright Vermont, WomenSafe, the Domestic Abuse Education Project, Vermont CARES, the University of Vermont LGBTQA program, and the Vermont Network Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. This community taskforce addressed the gap in services for male survivors of domestic violence. The group grew to address the needs of and unique barriers to all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

In 2000, the Subcommittee received funding from the Samara Foundation and the Ben & Jerry’s Community Action Team to help with the funding of a strategic plan and implementation of a Support Line for LGBTQQ survivors. It was decided at this time to create a unique and separate organization for LGBTQQ survivors, the first of its kind in Vermont.

In 2001, the Subcommittee received additional funding to hire staff, open an office, and offer services to the community. The majority of this funding came from the Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services in the form of a federal Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) grant for under-served populations. Additional funding came from the Samara Foundation and the Gill Foundation. At this time the Women’s Rape Crisis Center generously agreed to be the new organization’s fiduciary for the first year of the project. The Subcommittee named this new organization SafeSpace, and hired Kara DeLeonardis, MSW as its first full time Executive Director in November. SafeSpace was incorporated by the State of Vermont in December.

In January 2002, the SafeSpace office was rented in downtown Burlington. In February, Direct Service staff was hired to provide education and services to the community. In March, the new non profit received 501 (c) (3) federal tax exempt status, In April, SafeSpace received state tax exempt status, and opened its doors to survivors.

The SafeSpace office continued to grow with the addition of an AmeriCorps* VISTA volunteer in 2003, a Youth Program Coordinator in 2004 and numerous fantastic volunteers and interns. In 2004, the Victim Advocate position was changed to Program Coordinator to fully reflect SafeSpace’s social change programming and mission.