History of the Texas
Battered Women’s Movement
1875
Martha McWhirter opened a refuge in Beltron for battered wives that remained “thriving” into the 1890s.
1977
The first battered women’s shelter opened in Austin. This was the first in more than a century to open and was followed by a shelter opening in Houston.
1978
Six women met around a kitchen table in Austin on April 8, 1978 to form the Texas Council of Family Violence. The purpose of the Texas Council of Family Violence was to represent the limited 6 “battered women’s shelters” in Texas as they made efforts to obtain state funding secure protective order legislation. The Articles of Incorporation were signed and officially certified on December 27, 1978.
1979
$200,000 was provided to support programs at the six Texas shelters when Legislators passed the first bill establishing pilot funding for battered women’s shelters.
1980
More than 25 battered women’s shelters were operating throughout the state.
1981
$1 million per year was allocated for 30 state-contracting shelters and statewide program administration, technical assistance, training, and public education when the Legislature created the Family Violence Program.
1982
The Texas Counsel on Family Violence opened it’s first office in Austin, hosted the first annual statewide Family Violence Conference with more than 200 people in attendance.
1983
Legislature passed a number of bills and resolutions focused on expanding family violence programs in Texas while offering greater protections under the for law for family violence victims. Funding the FVP increased annually to $1.05 million and contracting with 32 shelters in Texas.
1984
Contracted shelters increased to 41; FVP funding increased to $2 million.
1985
Family Violence Prevention Act was passed; $2.3 million per year was allocated for the FVP.
1986
Shelter contracts increased to 46; the FVP budget increased to $2.5 million annually. The TCFV received a prestigious award from the National Improvement of Justice Foundation for “exemplary work in protecting the rights of victims.”
1987
Legislature passed measures clarifying the use of protective orders, allowing shelters a role in assisting the children of victims of family violence and eliminating the spousal exemption from charges of aggravated sexual assault.
1988
FVP received $2.6 million per year; contracted battered women’s shelters went up to 52.
1989
10 Bills were passed related to family violence, the FVP budget increased to $5.47 million per year, contracts with shelters increased to 56. Legislature created the Battering Intervention and Prevention Project (BIPP)-designating $400,000 annually in funding for 15 local programs to work with violent men.
1991
The Legislature nearly doubled the FVP budget to $9.1 million. The Governor signed the Senate Concurrent Resolution 26, allowing the governor to grant clemency to women who have been imprisoned for crimes relating to their experiences as battered women. TCFV won the elite ATOR Legal Improvement Award, administered by the University of Houston Law Center.
1993
FVP funding remained at $9.1 million annually, contracts with shelters increased to 58. BIPP funding increased to $500,000 annually.
1994
FVP contracted with 60 shelters, budget remained $9.1 million annually, Lt. Governor appointed the Senate Interim Committee on Domestic Violence to study Texas’ response to domestic violence and making recommendations to the Legislature. The BIPP contracted with 20 local programs to work with abusive men.
1994
FVP contracted with 60 shelters, budget remained $9.1 million annually, Lt. Governor appointed the Senate Interim Committee on Domestic Violence to study Texas’ response to domestic violence and making recommendations to the Legislature. The BIPP contracted with 20 local programs to work with abusive men.
1995
In the 74th Legislative Session, TCFB experienced unprecedented success with the passage of 98% of its legislative agenda. Collaborating with the Community Justice Assistance Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, TCFV monitored the implementation of new program standards and guidelines for state-funding BIPPS.
1996
A record high of $10.3 million was received by the FVP with 63 shelters contracted. The TCFV opened the National Domestic Violence Hotline (800-799-SAFE) on February 21 with a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 8,000 calls were answered each month for the first year. TCFV distributed 100 state of the art Polaroid Spectera Law Enforcement Camera Kits to member programs thanks to generous donors.
1997
The 75th Texas Legislature increased the FVP budget by $2.3 million annually, totally t$25.2 million for the 1998-99 biennium. The BIPP budget increased to $1.4 million, a record high. On April 1, 160 Silent Witnesses (life sized wooden silhouettes bearing the names and stories of Texas women who died as a result of family violence) were unveiled during a march to the State Capitol in Austin. Hundreds of advocates from all of Texas along with 160 Silent Witnesses to part in the National March to End the Silences about Domestic Violence in Washington, D.C on October 18. During a White House ceremony on Mary 21, VP Al Gore unveiled new postage stamp booklets imprinted with the National Domestic Violence Hotline’s toll-free numbers. TCFV’s national domestic violence hotline answered its 100,000th call on April 19th.
1998
TCFV was 1 of 10 state coalitions chosen to participate in the National Health Initiative on Domestic Violence. The Council cosponsored Legal Remedies for Battered Immigrants, with Texas Lawyers Care and Political Asylum Project of Austin. Hundreds of non-immigration attorneys and legal advocates from across the state attended. TCFV sponsored its 17th annual statewide Family Violence Conference and 20th anniversary celebration, attracting more than 600 participants. The TCFV National Domestic Violence Hotline answered its 200,000th call
1999
The 76th Texas Legislature increased the FVP budget by $5 million, totally $33.7 million for the biennium. BIPP budget increased to $1.9 million. Expanded protective orders, enhanced penalties for repeat offenders, required domestic violence training for all judges, prohibition of mediation, and limitation on visitation in cases involving domestic violence were legislative wins.
2001
The FVP budget increased by $5.2 million totaling $40.44 million. BIPP funding increased by 32% to $2.5 million. Legislative successes included dating violence protective orders, presumption against sole custody and unsupervised visitation for batters, firearms prohibition for family violence offenders, interference with emergency telephone call penalty, law enforcement training on dual arrest.
1976
The Women’s Haven of Fort Worth started when a group of like-minded women saw the need to provide resources to domestic violence survivors. The Women’s Haven was the first of two organizations that eventually merged to form SafeHaven of Tarrant County.
1978
The Women’s Shelter of Arlington was started by First Baptist Church, although the agency was secular in nature. In 2006, The Women’s Shelter would merge with the Women’s Haven of Fort Worth to form SafeHaven of Tarrant County.
2006
The Women’s Haven of Fort Worth and The Women’s Shelter of Arlington merged to form SafeHaven of Tarrant County.