All over the world, women suffer the physical, emotional and psychological effects of violence. They also have to face the economic and social consequences that affect their lives, relationships, productivity and achievement in education and employment. Victims/survivors of violence against women need timely access to health care and support services that respond to short-term injuries, protect them from further violations and address longer-term needs. Yet many do not get the help they need, because there are too few support services in their country.

. . . Support for victims/survivors needs State funding and encouragement and benefits from State coordination with NGO initiatives. . . .

UN, In-depth study on all forms of violence against women

Wars usually produce large numbers of refugees: witness the United Nations camps scattered around the world. And the War on Women has its own refugee camps, in the form of the 2,500 or so shelters for battered women and their children across North America. In the United States, more than 300,000 women and children seek safety in shelters each year. In Canada, the number is between 90,000 and 100,000.

Brian Vallée, The War on Women

[Shelters] remain an essential service within a much broader range of supports available not only to abused women, but to their children and male partners as well. They have been at the forefront in training professionals and developing prevention programs, and now, having raised our awareness of the need for such supports, work in partnership with man health, justice, social services and mental health agencies.

Lesley Tutty, YWCA Effective Practices in Sheltering Women