Kelly Vates - Co-Founder, President, & Executive Director
Email Kelly: Kelly@asafeport.org
Kelly Vates is an adult survivor of child sexual abuse. Born and raised in Lake County Indiana, she spent her childhood suffering in silence. Searching for a way out, she found her “prince charming” and married at the age of 19 in hopes of “Happily Ever After.” However, the lasting affects of child sexual abuse began to haunt her. Dealing with flashbacks, panic attacks and body memories on a daily basis, Kelly began praying to die. Gratefully, her story does not end there. Kelly was introduced to recovery in 1994 and began journey toward healing.
Breaking the silence and educating others is Kelly’s calling and passion. Early in her recovery process, she began participating in a Survivor’s Panel at the Portage High School and spoke to a local Girl Scout Troop using the “Good Touch/Bad Touch” curriculum. This was just the beginning of Kelly’s journey to advocacy.
After finishing three consecutive years in recovery and several appearances on a national television show, Kelly was lead to write her story and share her path of hope, healing, and recovery. Evergreen Press published Shattered Innocence in June of 2001. Kelly has been invited to numerous conferences both locally and throughout the country. However, her passion and time is still spent on the focus of helping the survivors and educating the community.
Kelly began as a volunteer at the St. Jude House in September of 2001 and began co facilitating the group “Embracing the Journey”, a support group for adult survivors of child sexual abuse. In January 2002, St. Jude House recognized Kelly’s expertise and offered her a part-time position as a peer-advocate/group facilitator. Kelly’s dedication and desire doesn’t stop there. Fueled by her passion to educate the faith-based community, Kelly founded Seas of Life Ministries.
2002 Kelly founded Seas of Life Ministries, a ministry of First Christian Church of Griffith, and served as Director of the ministry. Through this ministry, Kelly launched “Embracing HIS Journey.” This group has a Christ-centered focus while working on the recovery of sexual abuse.
Kelly has been instrumental in developing programs that share the realities of child abuse and the lasting affects on the survivor’s life-physically, emotionally and spiritually. These presentations equip ministers, counselors, teachers and parents with tools to educate both children and adults about abuse.
In October 2005, Kelly began building her vision of a faith-focused recovery center for survivors of violence in Lake County, Indiana. This vision is called Fair Haven Center for Women, Inc.
Kelly has developed a unique community outreach program called AGAPE to bring about the needed awareness of sexual violence. The Annual AGAPE Walk for Awareness held in April because April is recognized nationally as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The AGAPE Walk for Awareness invites the entire community to get involved by taking “steps” to eradicate violence and abuse from the community. It also encourages survivors of abuse and violence to “take their candle and go light the world!”
Kelly has received certifications in Crisis Counseling, Christian Leadership and Evangelism. She has also received certifications in Biblical Lay Counseling and Women's Ministry from the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Kelly has dedicated her life to the education and prevention of abuse & violence. It is her way of taking the pain of her abuse and turning it into blessing. There is life without pain!
