The Women’s Center is a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization dedicated to providing support, education, counseling and information.  Hunger, homelessness, domestic violence and sexual assault occur daily in Brevard County. The Women’s Center is committed to addressing these needs by providing a progressive step towards safe, healthy, self-sufficient lives. Thanks to our volunteers and loyal supporters we are able to provide counseling services, financial assistance, career guidance, job training, transitional housing and victim advocacy.  Our programs evolve to meet the changing needs in women’s lives. Every day, women come to us, often abused, battered and looking for advocacy, guidance and support. Helping women to help themselves means making it possible for the Women’s Center clients to not only support themselves, but to become active and proud participants in our community. The Women's Center also has Guilds in North Brevard and South Brevard that make up the Fund Raising arms of the Women's Center. If you know someone who needs help, please call 321-607-6811. If you would like more information about joining the guild or volunteering email womenscenternorthguild@gmail.com or call 321-607-6811. We extend to you our heartfelt gratitude for any contribution of your time, talent or treasure you can offer. The charitable heart is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others. Together we can make a difference and change lives for the better, forever. 

The Women's Center North Guild invites you to join our fellowship luncheon held the third Monday of every month 11:00 am at Benton House. You will learn about the Women’s Center, hear from the Guild Leadership and share ideas to grow and increase funds raised. Email womenscenternorthguild@gmail.com for more information.

BREVARD’S Domestic Violence Facts:

• In 2010, Brevard County experienced 6 Domestic Violence fatalities.
• 3,828 domestic violence offenses were reported to law enforcement in Brevard County. We know that many more victims are not reporting to the police or accessing services due to reasons such as shame, fear, or being prevented from doing so by their abusers. For this reason, we may never know the true extent of domestic violence in our county or in the state or country.
• In 2010, 1659 victims of Domestic Violence applied for an injunction for protection in Brevard County.
• The Women’s Center Victim Services provided assistance to 1224 victims in 2010 with safety planning, legal advocacy support, assistance with injunctions, with the address confidentiality program, and with free empowerment focused counseling.

Facts About Domestic Violence:

• 1 in 5 teens experience violence and abuse in a dating relationship.
• In the past 2 years, across the state of Florida, there is a 28.7 % increase in stalking. Stalking is often considered a precursor to sexual assault and domestic violence homicide. Perpetrators utilize a multitude of tactics to pursue and torture their victims including the utilization of technology to track the victims’ communication, whereabouts, and activities, as well as to engage in cyber-bullying and cyber stalking.
• The US Department of Justice estimates that 95% of reported assaults on spouses or e-spouses are committed by men against women. (Douglas 1991).
• Domestic Violence accounts for approximately 35% of all emergency room visits by women with injuries. (Randall T. Journal of the AMA ‘Domestic Violence Calls For More Than Treating Injuries’ 1992).
• Domestic Violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the United States. It’s more common than automobile accidents, muggings and rapes combined. (Uniform Crime Reports, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1991).
• Women of all cultures, races, occupations, income levels, and ages are battered – by husbands, boyfriends, lovers and partners. (Surgeon General Antonia Novello, as quoted in Domestic Violence: Battered Women, publication of the Reference Department of the Cambridge Public Library, Cambridge, MA).
• Batterers can be successful professionals such as doctors, lawyers, corporate executives, salesmen, and teachers as well as skilled and unskilled laborers. (Based on Lenore Walkers theories explained in the book, The Battered Women, 1979).
• A batterer’s control of the family’s money can stop victims from ending the relationship or make the money situation harder for the woman if she leaves. (Peter Jaffe, David Wolfe & Susan Kaye Wilson. Children of Battered Women, 1990).
• There are three times as many animal shelters in the United States than there are shelters for battered women. (Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings. 1990).
• Injuries battered women receive are at least as serious as injuries suffered in 90% of violent felony crimes, yet under state laws, they are almost always classified as misdemeanors. (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence).

Are You Being Abused?

Physical Abuse:

Does your partner:

• Hit, slap, punch, shove, bite, cut, strangle, kick, or burn you? Spit on you?
• Throw objects at you or restrain you?
• Threaten or hurt you with an object or deadly weapon (a gun, knife, baseball bat, brick, chain, hammer, scissors, rope, belt buckle, extension cord, branch, bottle, acid, bleach or scalding water)?
• Abandon you or lock you out of the house?
• Neglect you when you are sick or pregnant?
• Endanger you or your children through reckless driving?
• Threaten or attempt to drown you?

Emotional Abuse:

Does your partner constantly say or do things that shame, embarrass, ridicule or insult you? Has he said:

• You’re stupid, filthy, lazy, nasty, silly, etc.
• You’re fat and ugly.
• You can’t do anything right.
• You’ll never get a job.
• You’re an unfit mother.
• Who’d want you?

Does he:

• Withhold affection to punish you?
• Threaten to hurt you or your children?
• Tell you about his affairs or accuse you of having affairs?
• Forbid you to make decisions or socialize with your friends?
• Manipulate you with lies, contradictions or promises?

Financial Abuse:

Does your partner:

• Forbid you to work or handle your own money?
• Force you to sign over property or give him your personal possessions?
• Refuse to provide economically for you?

Sexual Abuse:

Does your partner:

• Force you to have sex when you don’t want to or while sleeping?
• Force you to perform sexual acts you don’t like?
• Criticize your sexual performance?
• Deny you sex?
• Not inform you of a Sexually Transmitted Disease he/she might have?
• Force you to have sex with or to watch others?
• Commit sexual acts that you consider sadistic?

Destructive Acts:

Does Your Partner:

• Break furniture, flood rooms, ransack or dump garbage in your house?
• Slash tires, break windows, steal, tamper with parts or put foreign substances in the gas tank of your car?
• Kill pets to punish or frighten you?
• Destroy clothing, jewelry, family photos or other personal items that he knows are important to you?

- There is no excuse and no acceptable reason for your partner to ever be physically abusive to you.

- You do not deserve to be emotionally abused. You have a right to a considerate and caring relationship.

- You don’t have to submit to sexual acts you don’t like. You deserve warm and nurturing sexual experiences.

- You do not deserve, nor do you have to be the victim of destructive acts by your partner.

www.womenscenterinbrevard.org