A
women's shelter (often alternatively called a
woman's refuge or other, similar names) is a place of temporary refuge and support for women escaping
violent or abusive situations, such as
rape and
domestic violence. The managers of many of these locations have often expanded their efforts to deal with related issues such as housing
victimized children, both male and female, fleeing abuse as well as providing
legal aid for domestic violence victims, among many other services.