Women Against Abuse

I was probably 8 or 9 the first time we went to Women Against Abuse’s shelter in the mid-1980s because my mom was in a domestic violence situation, and we needed to find a safe place to live. I don’t recall a sense of urgency. As a child I didn’t pick up on the danger we were in. I was just like “Ok, my mom is moving us here. And we’re gonna be away from our family.”

I remember my mom taking courses and meeting with her case manager. And the shelter had group activities for the kids. We played games together, they read books to us, and they took us to the park.

It was like we were on an adventure because we couldn’t tell anyone where we were staying. We had to transition to a new school, even though we were just a bus ride away from home. We changed schools so our location couldn’t be found. That is one of the things I feel like I missed out on the most, was my primary education. Instead of multiplication, I was learning how to keep myself and my brother safe.

It was strange to be away from our family and home. I had to share one room with my brother and my mom, but it didn’t feel like a bad situation. It almost felt like a little vacation or journey. The shelter felt like a home, and the women and children felt like an extended family – everyone was loving, gentle and patient.

Today looking at it through a mother’s eyes, though, I realize how difficult it must have been for my mom.

These early experiences became a catalyst for how my life went forward. I saw firsthand that receiving help is not a bad thing. I saw how the resources helped my mom keep us safe and change her life. The women at the shelter would have sessions, and I remember listening and hearing them talking with my mom, and giving support and advice. I thought, “This is what adults do.” And now, as an adult, I realize it was because they were survivors with a shared experience.

The 16th Anniversary of Dish It Up, which took place last spring at Cescaphe’s Vie, was a smashing success, raising $250,000 – the most ever for Women Against Abuse’s services. We’re cooking up an even more exciting event this year! We hope you’ll join us for delicious bites prepared by some of Philadelphia’s best women chefs, on June 11th at the Crystal Tea Room in the historic Wannamaker Building in Center City Philadelphia.

We were thrilled to cut the ribbon on Ameya’s Place, following the successful completion of a $3.6 million renovation! Ameya’s Place is one of only two domestic violence shelters in Philadelphia, and serves as a refuge for 600 women, men and children each year. We have operated Ameya’s Place since 2007, and the facility required significant updates. Over 13+ months, Patriot Construction installed new flooring, built a Welcome Center with updated security features, created 48 private bathrooms for each resident room, and added four more bedrooms that will allow us to serve an additional 33 people each year. And all of this work was done while we continued to operate and provide refuge at Ameya’s Place! The change has been remarkable, and wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of many. We celebrated alongside elected officials, generous donors, and project partners during our May 2024 ribbon cutting ceremony.

Jamie Colleen Miller, a former resident of Ameya’s Place and Board Member for Women Against Abuse, shared what it was like to stay at the shelter with her young daughter:

“As I walked through the doors of the safe haven, I finally felt like I could let my guard down. In a single moment, years and years of abuse came crashing off my shoulders, and I felt a weight had lifted, which then gave birth to a new outlook. This was my chance to take my life back... I no longer felt ashamed and unworthy. I was bound and determined to be the mother that my daughter deserved, and finally break the cycle of domestic abuse. Everything he said I couldn’t do, I went on to achieve – and more!”