The Women’s Center

History

The Women’s Center was founded in 1977 to assist women in Waukesha County, Wisconsin impacted by domestic abuse, sexual violence, child abuse, and trafficking. ¹ In 1981, the Center opened a 24-hour hotline and emergency housing assistance for victims of domestic violence. ¹ By 2012, the Women’s Center launched a violence prevention initiative to provide prevention education in schools and the community. ¹

Services

The Women’s Center assists all survivors of domestic violence regardless of age, race, sexual or gender identity, or immigration status. ² Programs provided including a free 24-hour hotline; emergency shelter and transitional living; one-on-one support on housing, legal issues, and healthcare; support groups; coaching on employment and job skills; rape crisis response; and community education and violence prevention. ³

Through the Lethality Assessment Protocol, the Center has partnered with local law enforcement to encourage police to call the Center and offer services to domestic violence victims. ⁴ Additionally, the Center has partnered with the Humane Animal Welfare Society to allow domestic abuse survivors entering the shelter a temporary place to care for pets until new housing is found. ⁵

The Women’s Center assists victims of child abuse by providing shelter and assistance adjusting to the shelter including clothing, counseling, and personal items, academic support for victims, assistance in school enrollment, and safe transportation to and from schools. ⁶ The Women’s Center provides support for victims of human trafficking including emergency shelter, transitional living, and support groups. ⁷

Finances

In 2020, the Women’s Center had net assets of $6,033,935. ⁸ According to the organization’s tax returns, in 2020 Center had $3,146,544 in revenue and $2,295,571 in expenses. ⁸ In 2019, the Women’s Center had $2,838,957 in revenue and $2,336,900 in expenses. ⁹ Most of the largest donations to the Women’s Center were from families, the Brewers and Greater Milwaukee foundations, and local businesses and churches. ¹⁰

In May 2021, the Women’s Center partnered with Midcoast Collective, a radical-left group, to raise money for victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, child abuse, and human trafficking. ¹¹ Midcoast Collective states that since 2021 it has grown from a fundraising concert series to a radical, grassroots production house raising money for social justice initiatives. ¹² In addition to the Women’s Center, Midcoast Collective has raised money for Reproductive Action Justice – Milwaukee, Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Students for a Democratic Society – Milwaukee, the Revolution Ready racial justice podcast, and ABOLISHmke, which has characterized prisons as racially-targeted torture chambers. ¹³

Leadership

Angela Mancuso has been executive director of the Women’s Center since 2013. ¹⁴ Previously, Mancuso was co-executive director of domestic violence prevention Sojourner Family Peace Center. ¹⁴ Mancuso spent seven years in various positions at Sojourner Truth House. ¹⁵ Mancuso has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mount Mary University. ¹⁵