ROGERS (KFSM) -- Domestic violence numbers are on the rise in Northwest Arkansas, and one local shelter is asking for help to make sure they can keep their doors open to women and children in need.
John McGee, executive director of the Northwest Arkansas Women's Shelter, said that the shelter has been quiet for a long time about who they are and what they do. However, McGee said people need to understand what the shelter is first.
Mindy Watkins said if it wasn't for the refuge she found at the shelter, she would have died from her abuser.
"There's not just a certain kind of person that needs help. I came from a very well-to-do healthy happy family," said Watkins. "Stable, college-educated, healthy, athletic, successful in all that I was doing and had no idea what was going on in my own household abuse-wise. Some terrible evils that were occurring."
Northwest Arkansas Women's Shelter starts by helping victims of domestic abuse and their children. They also create an advocacy program to help move a person out of an abusive relationship. They also have an education program to help them understand what a healthy relationship is.
Right now, the shelter only has room for 16 adults and 24 children. Its problem has grown in terms of services demanded and the cost of providing those services.
The shelter has not been able to generate the revenue necessary to reach out into the community and provide those resources, McGee said. It's facing a deficit that comes from increasing their capacity and growing needs with an expanding resource pool.
"People do die in domestic violence relationships and the abuser will kill or inflict serious harm on the individuals," said McGee.
Clients at the shelter are not charged, but they still need money to pay the bills to continue operating. Only 17 percent of the shelter's money comes from government funds and 20 percent from its thrift store, McGee said. The shelter has to raise the rest of its money on its own.