Haslam joins other officials to help open Branch House Family Center

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. - Sullivan County's new Branch House Family Center is officially open, and Katie Johnson likened the building renovations to her transformation from a victim of domestic violence to a survivor.

The purpose of the nonprofit justice center, funded by a federal grant, is to provide victims of child abuse, elder abuse, sexual assault and exploitation with counseling, legal services, orders of protection and more at one location. Thirteen local agencies have partnered with the center to provide those services.

Johnson, of Johnson City, said she owes her life to the center for helping her last year. Since then, she's been an intern and volunteer at the center during the remodel of the building.

"People who loved it [Branch House] were pouring their hearts into making it good again, and I can say the same of myself," she said. "In the eyes of a survivor, this place represents hope that had previously been lost. It represents love that had previously felt undeserved. It represents support that they maybe never had. And it represents the transformation to be made."

Johnson added that the center can make the difference between a victim of domestic abuse "leaving [their situation] or staying; fighting or accepting; surviving or not."

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Sullivan County District Attorney General Barry Staubus and the center's Director Karen Turnage Boyd cut the ribbon to the Blountville facility Friday.

In Sullivan County last year, there were 1,817 domestic violence crimes and 268 sex crimes reported to law enforcement, which equates to more than five domestic violence reports every day and more than five sex crimes reported every week. Staubus said 40 percent of the county's court cases are domestic violence-related.

"The mission - and it is a mission - of the family justice center here and [at centers] across the state is to make the lives better for those individuals, but also improving our county and our communities because domestic violence tears at the fabric of who we are and what we do so we want to have more success stories," Staubus said.

Haslam was the mayor of Knoxville when a family justice center opened there in 2006.

"I saw what an incredible difference it made ? [by] making it simple for people whose lives have been torn apart for one reason or another," he said.

He estimated that 15,000 victims of domestic violence and sexual assault will be helped this year in Tennessee at family justice centers.

"Fifteen thousand folks who would've been trying to wind their way through the system ? and tell their story in numerous different places," he said.

Boyd said Branch House is a testament to the kindness and good heartedness of the people in this region.

"I hope that today [Friday] is a message to every victim and survivor of family violence that we see you and hear you and your community loves you," she said after Friday's ceremony.