Montgomery County Officials Break Ground For Domestic Violence Center

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Contact: Mary Anderson, 301-217-1702
For Immediate Release: February 23, 1998

Montgomery County Officials Break Ground for
Domestic Violence Center

Montgomery County and state officials gathered today in Rockville to break ground for the County's new Domestic Violence Center. Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan and County Councilmember Gail Ewing were joined by a host of County and state officials, including U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, U.S. Congresswoman Constance A. Morella, Maryland Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and State Senator Ida Ruben.

"Victims of domestic violence often do not come forward for fear of nowhere to go and no one to turn to in times of crisis," said Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan. "This facility will fulfill that need by offering battered spouses and their children treatment and a safe haven from abusive partners."

Scheduled to open later this year, the center will provide treatment and residential services for more than 500 battered women and nearly 700 children each year. Funding for the $2.3 million center was obtained from the State and County.

"I am so proud of this center for providing a safer world for domestic abuse victims in Montgomery County," said Senator Barbara Mikulski. "More than 500 women and 700 children will now have someone to turn to and a place to go when they're trying to escape an abusive situation. This is not just a groundbreaking, it is a step towards breaking the cycle of violence."

The facility, operated by the County's Abused Persons Program within the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, will provide temporary housing for women and their dependent children (18 bedrooms) who have left their homes to escape domestic violence. The new building will complement existing outpatient counseling and victim assistance services located in a nearby facility.

"Providing safe havens for those in our community victimized by domestic violence is critically important in saving lives and in providing new beginnings for families torn by violence," said Congresswoman Constance A. Morella. "The Domestic Violence Center comes after many years of planning, hard work, and prayers."

"The more obstacles we remove, the more women will be able to escape from violent and abusive situations," said Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, co-chair of the Maryland Family Violence Council. "Montgomery County is building one of the strongest and most comprehensive efforts to combat domestic violence anywhere in the country. I am proud that Governor Glendening and I and the General Assembly were able to provide funding for this critical facility."

Montgomery County's Abused Persons Program has been in operation since the late 70s, providing victims of domestic violence with crisis and ongoing counseling, advocacy and support services and housing assistance. Staffing consists of administrative and treatment staff, contractors and volunteers.

Currently, the County pays $82,00 a year to rent space for outpatient services, and more than $10,000 is spent per year for motel rooms to temporarily house victims and children.

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