CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — Many women and children in Charlotte have no way to escape domestic violence.
The United Family Services' current shelter only has 29 beds and the agency is often forced to turn families away.
On Thursday, the agency broke ground on the Clyde and Ethel Dickson Domestic Violence Shelter. The 80-bed facility will provide safety, support and legal assistance.
Tana Greene said a domestic violence shelter gave her the strength to escape an abusive relationship.
"It's isolation and it's control but it doesn't even have to be physical," Greene said. "It's a lot of mental control and control of the finances, of what you can do and who your friends are."
United Family Services usually does not reveal shelter locations; however, the agency disclosed the location of the new building on West Boulevard because it will have top-notch security.
"There will be cameras installed throughout the property where we can monitor everything inside and outside the campus," said United Family Services CEO Phil Kline.
Kline said the crime is increasing in Charlotte and that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police responded to 35,000 domestic violence calls in 2010.
He said one out of every four women will become a victim.
"You'll hear about someone dying and you'll immediately wonder because it was a boyfriend or husband," Greene said. "Usually it is domestic violence. It's when you leave that you're in most danger. That's when 80 percent of the murders occur."
Greene is confident the new shelter will save lives.
More information: PDF: 2011 'If You Leave Me, I'll Kill You' Report Statistics On domestic violence From United Family Services