Family Renewal Shelter - About FRS

How hard it is to walk away

What a challenging year our nation has had! "Economic downturn" has become a new, popular phrase and one question we’re hearing a lot is "have you noticed an increase in domestic violence or people needing your shelter?" I have to say from where I sit I'm amazed by the increased number of women who call us day and night, who are being physically, mentally and emotionally abused, controlled and threatened by boyfriends and husbands. The need just never goes away. Some of our recent clients include a woman who developed a seizure disorder as a result of physical abuse, another who had her hair cut off by an angry spouse and one who was thrown down the stairs while being four months pregnant. All had been threatened with worse.

Domestic violence can sometimes seem like a faceless problem in our community or a row of statistics until you put a story with it - one woman, one child at a time. We see them at the intake so unsure of what awaits them. Some have had to leave all friends and family behind indefinitely just to be safe or to allow those loved ones to be safe. Often women must walk away from school, jobs and cherished possessions to escape. Children who don't usually comprehend leave playmates, favorite teachers, bikes and pets to find refuge with their mother.