
Abuse shelters for women exist to give women a place to escape the torment and suffering of an abusive family setting. These shelters offer a place where women and sometimes their children and even pets can go for support, counseling, and a wide variety of other services. Furthermore, abuse shelters for women exist in order to relieve the possible financial burden of leaving an abusive domestic relationship.
The silent epidemic of domestic abuse affects millions of families every year. The Violence against Women Act allows the Department of Health and Human Services to provide funds for national domestic abuse shelters for women. In fact, funds for domestic abuse shelters for women quadrupled from $27.6 million in 1994 to $116.9 million in 2001. The VAWA also stipulates that each state must have a minimum between $400,000 and $600,000, which can also go to community outreach, prevention, and children’s counseling.
Most state and local shelters look like common buildings from the outside, in order to better blend in with the local environment. Depending on the shelter, women and their children usually stay for only a certain amount of time, generally from a few weeks to a few months. Abusive relationships can be damaging on many levels for both children and the abused, and resources can be limited because of the high volume of people seeking refuge from abusive relationships.
If you or someone you know needs to escape a dangerous and abusive relationship, find a local shelter in your area today. When you call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3224 for TTY, you can get in touch with someone who can guide you to resources in your area. Please, if you need help, call today. Your safety and the safety of your children are of paramount importance.
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