Haven House, founded in 1964, was the first domestic violence shelter service provided for battered women and their children ,
and has served as a model for many more programs in the United States.

Every 15 Seconds , Another Women Is Battered In The United States.

Though some assume that domestic violence is found only in lower
socioeconomics environments, the statistics prove otherwise.

While it is true that stress often triggers abuse , violent relationships occur in families of every educational level,
proffesional occupation , ethnic background and income category.

Unhappily, as Maria's expirence demonstrates , domestic violence also is found in Christian homes.

"Wife abuse doesn't occur just in families in which husbands are unsaved or alcoholics ,
where mothers work outside the home or couples are nominally Christian.
Many of the abused women with whom we talked are married to church leaders , deacons or pastors, " say James and Phyllis

Alsdurf in their book Battered Into Submission.
According to the Alsdurfs,
theses women " all consider themselves to be committed Christians and for the most part would uphold traditional family values.

Few would label themselves feminists , and almost without exception they have worked hard at being submissive to their husbands.