Our History

In 1976, when the newly created Mercer County Commission on the Status of Women began holding public meetings, one major issue of concern came to the forefront - domestic violence. Under the leadership of Barbara Boggs Sigmund, then a Mercer County Freeholder, and with the vision and assistance of her intern, Deborah Metzger, a proposal was developed to provide services for women in crisis. By June 1977, after more than 50 local organizations joined together to develop plans, the corporation of Womanspace, Inc. was formed.

The first task was to find a site for what was then called the Mercer County Women's Center, a shelter for female survivors of domestic violence and their children. The shelter, a safe haven at an undisclosed location, opened in February 1978 and was filled to capacity almost immediately - a trend that has continued through the years. The shelter accommodates eight families with a total capacity for 26 women and children. Alternative placements are arranged if the shelter is full.

In 1985, Womanspace moved its administrative staff and counseling services to Brunswick Avenue in Lawrenceville. In the 1990s, Womanspace was outgrowing its space once again, with the counseling and prevention services requiring more room for client programming. The search for administrative space concluded in 1995 with the purchase of a building on Stuyvesant Avenue in Trenton that now houses the Administrative Offices and the Education and Training program.

When Barbara Boggs Sigmund, Mary Ann Cannon, Ellen Belknap, Deborah Metzger and Valorie Caffee signed the certificate of incorporation officially registering Womanspace in the State of New Jersey on May 23, 1977, they hoped that Womanspace would serve victims beyond the initial crisis. Their vision has become a reality as our services continue to grow to assist clients facing complex situations due to the violence in their lives.

The founders' vision and our mission is supported as we continue to develop unique direct services, expand and enhance existing services and network with surrounding communities and organizations to meet the needs of families who come to us for help. Women who are in abusive situations and require immediate crisis intervention, systems advocacy or counseling can find information and assistance through our hotlines and other programs. Womanspace strives to educate community members and professionals in social services and healthcare about domestic violence, involving them in the coordinated community response that will provide safety and support to victims and require accountability and consequences for abusers.

Domestic Violence Victim Response Teams (DVVRT) are volunteer victim advocates who work with police departments in local municipalities to respond to reported incidents of domestic violence. Team members meet with victims to provide resources and support at the police station. In May 2004, the DVVRT Teams were restructured to serve all 13 municipalities in Mercer County. Hopewell Borough and Township and Pennington Borough joined East Windsor, Ewing, Hamilton, Hightstown, Lawrence, Washington, and West Windsor Townships, Princeton Borough and Township and the City of Trenton to provide this essential service. Team members were called out 472 times and served 665 people in Fiscal Year 2009.

In January 2002, Womanspace began offering services for victims and survivors of sexual assault. Victim advocates now respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to hospitals to support victims of sexual assault at a very critical time. Sexual Assault Support Advocates are volunteer victim advocates who work to enhance the victim-centered approach that is now standard for providing services to sexual assault victims. They provide accompaniment to hospitals in response to crisis calls received by the hotline, from local hospitals or police. In Fiscal Year 2009, 92 victims were accompanied to hospitals and/or legal proceedings.

Since its inception, Womanspace has assisted over 43,196 women and 6,232 children who have experienced the tragedy of domestic violence. The agency has trained and educated over 93,367 professionals and community members on the issue of domestic violence and has responded to over 218,757 hotline telephone calls.

Each May, Womanspace presents the Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award to a person who champions causes and issues affecting the lives of women and children. The award is given to honor the life and work of our founder Barbara Sigmund, who died in 1990.

The Womanspace Annual Meeting and the launch of the Communities of Light™ ~ Peace Begins at Home Campaign are held in October during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Sexual Assault Awareness and Volunteer Recognition are nationally recognized during the Month of April.

Please check the News & Events section for current events.