How to
Find a Battered Women's Shelter
If you are in an abusive situation, take what has happened to your family seriously and take all steps necessary to get to a safe environment.
Getting yourself and your children to safety must be your primary concern.
The first step to putting your life back together is to find
a safe place to live.
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Steps:
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1.
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If you or
your children are in danger, leave as soon as possible. If you must
leave without your possessions, do so. Safety should be your primary
concern. |
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2.
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Call your local police or sheriff's department. The department should be able to refer you to a shelter in your area, and may even be able to provide transportation. Report the violence to the police or sheriff's department, and obtain a restraining order from a criminal court.
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3.
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Contact your local family court. The staff there should know where to find shelter. You can go to the court and file a complaint or petition to obtain a family court restraining order. Often a court will hear this type of petition on a preliminary basis as soon as you file it.
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4.
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Ask your local YWCA if it provides or knows who provides shelter in your area.
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5.
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Contact domestic abuse hotlines for support and help. |
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6.
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Find the number for a local homeless shelter and ask the staff there for information about a family violence shelter. If you are desperate and don't know where else to go, this type of shelter may be able to take you in, at least temporarily.
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7.
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Our shelter is
located in Mineral Wells, Texas which is about 52 miles west of Fort Worth. If
you need to find a shelter in Texas that is located closer to your area, please
click this link and you will be taken to a list of all the shelters in
Texas.
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8.
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If you don't live in Texas, you can locate a shelter in your
area by clicking the following link:
www.endabuse.org which will
take you to the Family Violence Prevention Fund's website. When it
comes up, scroll to the bottom of their webpage and click on the "Getting
Help" link. You can also call 1-800-799-SAFE to find out
how to contact a family violence program in your area.
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Tips:
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1.
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Never blame yourself or feel ashamed for being a victim of
abuse.
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2.
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Create a
Safety Plan. (See the link below on How to Create a Safety Plan)
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Warnings:
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Remember,
the more people who know where you are staying, the easier it
will be for your abuser to find you, so only tell people you can
trust to keep your secret. If you tell anyone where you
are going to be staying, make sure that they know that they
should not give that information to anyone else without your
permission.
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Other
Miscellaneous
Information
Click on One of the
Links Below to:
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Legal Information
Click on One of the
Links Below to:
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