Our Story

As a result of their concerns, a dedicated group of community members came together to make a difference for families in Addison County who were victims of domestic and sexual violence. The interagency collaboration, work of concerned citizens, and community groups were instrumental in starting the Addison County Battered Women's Project in September 1980 under the umbrella of the Addison County Community Action Group. On February 4, 1982, the Addison County Battered Women's Project was incorporated as its own entity. It was organized for the purpose of "promoting the social welfare of Addison County by reducing the incidence of domestic violence, and primarily, the incidence of abuse against women."

From 1988—2001, our organization was called Addison County Women In Crisis (ACWIC). In 2001, the name “WomenSafe” was officially adopted to signify the mission of the organization, and to acknowledge that intimate partner violence disproportionately affects women and girls (and especially women of color).

Over the span of years the office has been located at various sites in Middlebury and Bristol. As a result of a dedicated Board of Directors and the generous support of the Addison County community, ACWIC purchased the present Middlebury office building in the spring of 1998 and an additional building in 2018.

Throughout all of these changes the dedicated staff, volunteers and board members of WomenSafe have ensured high quality services for victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their children. The office has accessible parking and provides a safe, comfortable setting for support groups and individual meetings with trained staff.