History of the Battered Women's Movement in Texas 1875 Martha ...

History of the Battered Women’s Movement in Texas1875 Martha McWhirter opened a refuge in Belton for battered wives that thrived well into the1890s.1977 The first battered women's shelter in more than a century opened in Austin, followed by ashelter in Houston.1978 Six women met around a kitchen table in Austin on April 8, 1978 to form the Texas Councilon Family Violence. Its purpose is to represent Texas' six battered women's shelters in theirefforts to secure state funding and protective-order legislation. Articles of Incorporation weresigned and officially certified by the Secretary of State on December 27, 1978.1979 The Legislature passed the first bill establishing pilot funding for battered women's sheltersand providing $200,000 to support programs at six Texas shelters.1980 More than 25 battered women's shelters were operating throughout the state.1981 The Legislature created the Family Violence Program (FVP), allocating $1 million per yearfor 30 state-contracting shelters and statewide program administration, technical assistance,training and public education.1982 The Texas Council on Family Violence opened its first office in Austin, and hosted the firstAnnual Statewide Family Violence Conference. More than 200 people attended.1983 The Legislature passed a number of bills and resolutions aimed at expanding family violenceprograms in Texas and offering greater protections under the law for family violence victims.Funding for the FVP was increased to $1.05 million annually, with 32 contracting shelters.1984 The FVP received $2 million per year and contracted with 41 shelters.1985 The Legislature passed the Family Violence Prevention Act and allocated $2.3 million peryear for the FVP.1986 By an increase in the FVP budget to $2.5 million per year, shelter contracts increased to 46.TCFV received a prestigious award from the National Improvement of Justice Foundation for"exemplary work in protecting the rights of victims."1987 The Legislature passed measures clarifying the use of protective orders, affording shelters arole in assisting the children of victims of family violence, and eliminating the spousalexemption from charges of aggravated sexual assault.1988 The FVP received $2.6 million per year and contracted with 52 battered women's shelters.1989 The Legislature passed 10 bills related to family violence and increased the FVP budget to$5.47 million per year, which included contracts with 56 shelters. The Legislature alsocreated the Battering Intervention and Prevention Project (BIPP), allocating $400,000 peryear in funding for 15 local programs to work with violent men.

History of the Battered Women’s Movement in Texas1991 The Legislature nearly doubled the FVP budget to $9.1 million. Governor Ann Richardssigned Senate Concurrent Resolution 26, enabling the governor to grant clemency to womenwho have been imprisoned for crimes relating to their experiences as battered women. TCFVwon the elite ATOR Legal Improvement Award, administered by the University of HoustonLaw Center. The award honors a group or individual that has had "the greatest impact … inbettering society in the State of Texas by encouraging or causing a change of law or in theadministration of justice."1993 Funding for the FVP remained at $9.1 million per year, despite significant decreases for mostother human services programs. Contracts with shelters increased to 58. The Legislatureincreased the allocation for the BIPP to $500,000 per year.1994 Sixty shelters were contracted with the FVP, which received $9.1 million from theLegislature. Lt. Governor Bob Bullock appointed the Senate Interim Committee on DomesticViolence to study Texas' response to domestic violence and make recommendations to theLegislature. The BIPP contracted with 20 local programs to work with abusive men.1995 During the 74th Legislative Session, TCFV experienced unprecedented success with thepassage of 98 percent of its legislative agenda. In collaboration with the Community JusticeAssistance Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, TCFV monitored theimplementation of new program standards and guidelines for state-funded BIPPs.1996 The FVP received a record $10.3 million and contracted with 63 shelters. TCFV opened theNational Domestic Violence Hotline (800/799-SAFE) on February 21, with a $1 million grantfrom the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Hotline answered 8,000 callseach month in its first year. Through the generosity of donors, TCFV distributed 100 state-ofthe-artPolaroid Spectra Law Enforcement Camera Kits to member programs. Thesophisticated equipment documents battered women's injuries with photographs that mayassist local law enforcement throughout the state in prosecuting family violence perpetrators.1997 The 75th Texas Legislature increased the FVP budget by $2.3 million per year, bringing thetotal to $25.2 million for the 1998-99 biennium. The BIPP budget also increased to a record$1.4 million for the biennium. On April 1, 160 Silent Witnesses -- life-sized, woodensilhouettes bearing the names and stories of Texas woman who died as a result of familyviolence -- were unveiled during a march to the State Capitol in Austin. Hundreds ofadvocates from all over Texas and the 160 Silent Witnesses participated in the NationalMarch to End the Silence About Domestic Violence in Washington, D.C. on October 18.During a White House ceremony on May 21, Vice President Al Gore unveiled new postagestamp booklets imprinted with the National Domestic Violence Hotline's toll-free numbers.1997 TCFV's National Domestic Violence Hotline (800/799-SAFE) answered its 100,000th call onApril 19.

History of the Battered Women’s Movement in Texas1998 TCFV was one of 10 state coalitions selected to participate in the National Health Initiativeon Domestic Violence. The project is designed to train health care providers to help victimsof domestic violence. The Council cosponsored Legal Remedies for Battered Immigrants,with Texas Lawyers Care and Political Asylum Project of Austin. Hundreds of nonimmigrationattorneys and legal advocates from across the state attended. TCFV sponsored its17th Annual Statewide Family Violence Conference and 20th Anniversary Celebration inCorpus Christi, attracting more than 600 participants. TCFV's National Domestic ViolenceHotline answered its 200,000th call.1999 The 76th Texas Legislature increased the FVP budget by $5 million, bringing the total to$33.7 million for the biennium. The BIPP budget also increased to $1.9 million for thebiennium. Other legislative successes included expanded protective orders, enhancedpenalties for repeat offenders, required domestic violence training for all judges, prohibitionof mediation, and limitation on visitation in cases involving domestic violence.2001 The 77 th Texas Legislature increased the FVP budget by $5.2 million, making the total for the2002/2003 biennium $40.44 million. BIPP funding also increased by 32 percent to $2.5million for the biennium. Other legislative highlights included dating violence protectiveorders, presumption against sole custody and unsupervised visitation for batterers, firearmsprohibition for family violence offenders, interference with emergency telephone call penalty,and law enforcement training on dual arrest.