YWCA Central Massachusetts

Battered Women's Resources(BWR) of North Central Massachusetts has been serving the multiple needs of domestic violence victims since 1978. Headquartered in Leominster, Massachusetts, in addition to meeting spaces across 34 towns, BWR maintains a comprehensive program that provides 24-hour support to victims and their children who are in crisis. BWR's services include a 24-hour hot line, emergency shelter, individual and group counseling, court and housing advocacy, bilingual services, community education, as well as information and referrals. BWR is the only comprehensive agency of its kind in North Central MA designed to assist victims of domestic violence.

BWR envisions an ideal world of nonviolence and equality where men, women and children live in peace. BWR is dedicated to creating a community free from domestic violence through education, intervention and prevention. BWR was founded in 1978 by twelve local business women who recognized the growing need for an agency to help women and children who were in abusive relationships. Originally named the Montachusett Taskforce on Battered Women, the agency adopted the name Battered Women's Resources, Inc. in 1981. On July 1, 2007 BWRI merged with the YWCA, and then became BWR. BWR and YWCA view this partnership as a means of leveraging their combined resources in order to enhance services for women and to expand their advocacy efforts aimed at improving women's lives.