Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Ride to Safety
Now here's a damned good idea: TARC is offering anyone fleeing an abusive partner a free ride to the Center for Women and Families. Called "Ride to Safety," TARC's new program allows people trying to escape abuse to board any bus at any stop at any time, without paying a fare. Tragically, abuse victims often have no easy escape route when an abusive partner hides the car keys or slashes the car's tires. "Ride to Safety" aims to help solve that problem by giving victims free rides. When a victim boards a bus, the bus driver will contact TARC HQ, which will dispatch someone to meet the bus and take the victim and any children to the nearest shelter. The driver will continue to make all the normal stops and will not offer counseling to the victim (also a damned good idea). To spread the word, TARC will outfit its busses with "Ride to Safety" decals. The Center for Women and Families serves victims of domestic abuse, rape, and economic hardship from campuses all over the metro area. Visit www.thecenteronline.org for more information. Or just board a TARC and say "Help."