The Safehouse shelter was started through funding from the Crisis Center of Arkansas, Legal Aid Bureau of Central Arkansas, Arkansas Women's Rights, and the Presbyterian Urban Council. Since the opening of the shelter in 1978, thousands of women and children have had the opportunity for choice, a choice to have a life without violence. ABW has attempted to grow as laws have changed in regard to domestic violence, and more protection is availalbe to more women now more than ever. The staff, Board of Directors and community volunteers have worked together in an attempt to expand services as they need has become more apparent in an attempt to expand services as the need has become more apparent within our community. Battered women tend to have few resources from which to choose alternatives to violent relationships.
Violence is a learned behavior and vilence tends to perpetuate itself through generations.
Children from violent homes suffer psychologically and physically. Women and their children have a right to a violence-free life. To assist battered women and their children in finding housing, psychological recovery, gaining social support and learning to live violence free. To advocate for residents in gaining access to existing legal and social service systems. To influence those systems so that they better serve the needs of battered women and their children.