Time Line

Womanspace Timeline

1970 - 1979
1980 - 1989
1990 - 1999
2000 - Present

1970-1979

1976 - The Mercer County Commission on the Status of Women begins holding public meetings, and the issue of domestic violence is in the forefront.
1977 – The New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women is organized by a group of people who are concerned about the lack of services available to battered women in an emergency.
May 23, 1977 - Barbara Sigmund, Ellen Belknap, Valorie Caffe, Deborah Metzger and Mary Ann Cannon sign the Womanspace Certificate of Incorporation.
June 1977 - Womanspace emerges as a private, nonprofit corporation dedicated to meeting the special needs of women.
December 1977 - Major funding for beginning shelter operations comes from the State Law Enforcement Planning Agency. It is the first program to receive Title XX, Adult Protective Services federal funding through the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Youth and Family Services.
February 1, 1978 - The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence is founded.
February 6, 1978 - The initial Womanspace, Inc. project, Mercer County Women's Center, opens its doors.

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1980-1989

Summer 1981 - The United Way of Princeton Area Communities accepts Womanspace as a new member for 1982. Governor Brendan Byrne signs Assembly Bill 1330 into law. This bill allows a municipal court judge, in cases of spousal abuse complaints, to order the accused out of the marital residence for 72 hours if the judge finds probable cause to believe that clear and immediate harm may occur to the spouse of the accused or to family members.
September 1981 - The Marriage License Tax Bill (Assembly No. 618) is introduced by Senator Joseph P. Merlino. This bill allows an additional $5 levy to the present $3 marriage license fee to support spouse abuse projects throughout the state, and would generate about $250,000 annually.
October 1981 - Chief Justice Robert Wilentz, New Jersey State Supreme Court, appoints a special committee to study the problems of battered women in New Jersey.
October 16, 1981 - The First National Day of Unity (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence) is held.
December 31, 1981 - Acting New Jersey Governor Senator Joseph P. Merlino signs legislation increasing the marriage license fee from $3 to $8 to help provide funds for victims of domestic violence (signed for Brendan Byrne, who was away on vacation).
1981 - The Prevention of Domestic Violence Act is introduced in both houses of the state legislature by Senator Wynona Lipman and Assemblywoman Barbara McConnell. This Act offers legal remedies to victims of violence committed by people with whom they live.
March 7-March 13, 1982 - National Women's History Week
April 5, 1982 - The New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women opens its new office.
April 9, 1982 - The Prevention of Domestic Violence Act becomes law in New Jersey.
April 17, 1982 - A benefit luncheon for Womanspace is held with Congresswoman Millicent Fenwick.
May 5, 1982 - An educational meeting on domestic violence is held in Trenton, sponsored by the New Jersey Advisory Committee on Civil Rights in cooperation with New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women, to provide a follow-up to the Committee's 1981 report "Battered Women in New Jersey” and more specifically to discuss new state legislation related to domestic violence.
June 1, 1982 - A Legal Task Force is formed by Womanspace staff, board members and volunteers to help address the most critical legal needs of shelter residents.
July 10, 1982 - Barbara Trent performs at a concert to benefit Womanspace.
August 3-August 7, 1982 - The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence holds the second national conference and membership meeting.
October 8, 1982 - New Jersey's Unity Day is proclaimed by Governor Thomas H. Kean.
October 9 – 16, 1982 - Domestic Violence Awareness Week is declared at a public signing ceremony, and the first Domestic Violence Awareness Week in Mercer County is held.
October 16, 1982 - The New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence declares the 2nd National Day of Unity.
December 4, 1983 - The Gala New Orleans Jazz Brunch celebrates the five year anniversary of Womanspace opening its shelter’s doors to victims of domestic violence.
October 8-October 13, 1984 - Domestic Violence Awareness Week
January 27, 1985 - The Gala New Orleans Jazz Brunch, "Laissez les bon temps roulez,” is held, with Mercer County Prosecutor Philip Carchman honored for his leadership in the state and county on issue of domestic violence.
June 1985 - Womanspace announces the opening of a second facility, an administrative and counseling office, at 1860 Brunswick Pike in Lawrenceville.
October 1-October 31, 1985 - The first Domestic Violence Awareness Month is held in New Jersey.
October 12, 1985 - The 5th National Day of Unity for battered women is held.
1985 - The US Surgeon General declares, "family violence" the "#1 health problem in America."
February 1988 - The first Lawrenceville/Princeton Antiques Show, to benefit Womanspace, held at National Guard Armory in Lawrenceville, by Mancuso Show Management.
April 28, 1989 - An annual legal conference on domestic violence is held, co-sponsored by the Womanspace Outreach Program and the Trenton State College Women’s Center.

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1990-1999

May 27, 1991 - Governor Jim Florio declares Barbara Boggs Sigmund Day.
October 30, 1991 - The Not-So-Open Open House is held and donors are invited to visit the newly renovated shelter.
1991 - The National Center on Women and Family Law announces the National Battered Women's Law Project, serving battered women's advocates and policy makers.
1991 - The Prevention of Domestic Violence Act is amended.
November 13, 1992 - Governor Jim Florio signs S522 bill sponsoring a rise in the marriage fee from $8 to $28. The extra $20 is to go to a fund for victims of domestic violence.
November 25, 1992 - "16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence,” an international campaign, begins.
February 21, 1996 - President Clinton announces a nationwide toll-free domestic violence hotline, 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
May 23, 1997 - Womanspace celebrates the 20th Anniversary of its incorporation.
August 5, 1997 - New Jersey statutes 39:3-4, 39:3-9b and 39:3-9c are enacted, permitting victims of stalking, sexual assault or domestic violence to use a post office box or another person’s address as the official address on their driver’s license and vehicle registration. The Division of Motor Vehicles is prohibited from disseminating these victims’ street addresses to the general public.
February 6, 1998 - The 20th Anniversary of the Shelter Opening is held with founders, original staff and board and volunteers.
March 1998 - The first Mercer County Domestic Violence Victim Response Team is created in collaboration with the East Windsor Township Police Department.
April 19-25, 1998 - National Volunteer Week is celebrated with numerous events held to thank Womanspace volunteers.
February 1999 - New Jersey debuts a computerized domestic violence registry that allows police officers to learn of any domestic violence history en route to a call for help.
June 15, 1999 - Members of the Domestic Violence Victim Response Teams of Hopewell, Pennington, Princeton Borough and West Windsor graduate, joining East Windsor team members in providing services to victims of domestic violence in five of Mercer County’s 13 municipalities.

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2000 - Present

February 2000 – The First V-Day College Campaign holds performances of "The Vagina Monologues" at Princeton University, to benefit Womanspace.
November 2000 - The Ewing Township Domestic Violence Victim Response Team becomes operational.
October 2001 - The first Rape and Violence Eradication (R.A.V.E.) Walk, sponsored by Zonta, is held to benefit Womanspace.
December 2001 - The Lawrence Township Domestic Violence Victim Response Team becomes operational.
January 2002 - Sexual assault services are added to Womanspace’s programs.
November 2002 - Volunteers and police officers from Hightstown and Princeton Township complete training and Domestic Violence Victim Response Teams become operational. Teams now serve nine of the thirteen Mercer County municipalities.
December 22, 2002 - The first Communities of Light™ – Peace Begins at Home project occurs, with luminary candles lit at dusk to raise awareness and funds for domestic violence and Womanspace services.
April 2003 - New Jersey legislature passes a joint resolution declaring April- Sexual Assault Awareness month.
December 21, 2003 - The Honorable Christine Todd Whitman serves as Honorary Chair for Communities of Light™ 2003 with the Resource Center for Women and Their Families in Somerset County and Women’s Crisis Services in Hunterdon County, joining Womanspace in the lighting of luminaries. More than 50,000 candles were lit in the three counties.

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