STILLWATER, N.Y. — The Stillwater Town Police Department is helping victims of domestic violence with a big cell phone donation.

The department has collected more than 5,000 phones since 2003.

The phones are donated to advocacy groups who then distribute them to victims.

Those victims can use the phones to call for help in an emergency.

"It's a lifeline. It's a safety net,” said 1st Sgt. Ray Cordani, commanding officer of the Stillwater Town Police Department. “Some abusers destroy phones of the victims, so these phones they have a lifeline. It empowers them, that they can reach out for help at any time."

The donation comes during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.