Advocates Urge State to Make Women's Shelters Safe

In light of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, chair of the state’s Domestic Violence Commission is speaking out.

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) October 22, 2006 -- The murder of a Western North Carolina woman last month has sparked renewed calls to make domestic violence shelters safer statewide. Now the chair of the North Carolina Domestic Violence Commission, Lisa Angel, is urging state officials to provide funding for security upgrades at shelters that house battered women.

With October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Angel says it is an appropriate time for lawmakers to consider looking into the security problems faced by shelters. These facilities are often underfunded and struggle to pay their annual expenses. “If they had more money to fund the necessary upgrades and security systems, they could better insure the places battered women seek as a refuge really are safe,” says Angel who is also a domestic attorney with Rosen Law Firm.

Angel and other members of the commissions were devastated when news broke last month involving a man who gunned down his wife at a western North Carolina shelter. Just last year a bill was introduced that would have provided funding to shelters like the one in Sylva to upgrade their facilities, but it did not pass in the House.

“This is a life and death situation,” says Angel. “When a woman is not safe in her home she must have a place to turn and we cannot tolerate security that fails to keep victims safe.” In the upcoming session, Angel will insist that lawmakers address this issue.

“Without funding, shelters will not be able to take the security and safety measures they need to protect victims from their abusers,” says Angel.

The North Carolina Domestic Violence Commission became a permanent commission in 1999 as an advocacy agency. The commission identifies and assesses statewide needs on domestic violence, and assures the necessary services, policies, and programs are provided to those in need. Throughout the state, the commission also strengthens existing domestic violence related programs.

Rosen Law Firm has offices in Raleigh, Charlotte, and Chapel Hill. Founded in 1990, the firm is dedicated to providing individual growth and support to couples seeking divorce by helping them move forward with their lives. Our staff of attorneys and other legal professionals expertly address the complex issues of ending a marriage. Our innovative approach acknowledges that divorce is so much more than just a legal matter. Practice areas include child custody, alimony, property distribution, separation agreements, and domestic violence relief.

For more information on the North Carolina Domestic Violence Commission please contact: Alison Kramer, Vice Chair for the Public Awareness Committee of the North Carolina Domestic Violence Commission: 919-523-7104, http://www.rosen.com

North Carolina Domestic Violence Commission
526 N. Wilmington Street
Raleigh, NC 27604
919.733.2455
www.doa.state.nc.us/doa/cfw/cfw.htm

###