Gainesville — Staff members at two Tarrant County domestic violence shelters may have to do something they’ve never wanted to do — turn away families in crisis.

Mary Lee Hafley, CEO of SafeHaven said she’s never seen so many families seeking shelter from domestic violence situations.

“The shelters typically fill up in the summer; however, in the past two or three summers, the days of overcrowding were fairly intermittent and more manageable,” Hafley said in a news release. “We’re now entering our third week of capacity. I really can’t remember a time we couldn’t figure out some option. I’ve never heard our staff talk about turning families away.”

SafeHaven operates two emergency shelters — one in Arlington and the other in Fort Worth. The two shelters can accommodate up to 174 women and children.

Crowding at the Tarrant County shelters brings into focus Cooke County’s need for a safe place for victims of violence.

Abigail’s Arms board and capital campaign committee member Karon Sullivant said overcrowding and lack of space in area shelters is nothing new.

“I’m very aware of the problem,” Sullivant said. “Most of the time we refer our clients to the Denton County or Sherman shelters but these shelters are often operating at capacity.”

Sullivant said the only other option for helping clients leave domestic violence situations is to offer a hotel or motel voucher — something that isn’t very practical.

“If our clients are in a hotel we can’t assure their security and of course there’s also the expense involved,” she said.

Thanks to the support and the fundraising efforts of volunteers, staff members and board members and others, work has begun at the Abigail’s Arms shelter.

The 9,000 square foot facility will 44 women and children at full capacity, will have a staff of seven full-time employees and more than 30 volunteers, with staff available 24 hours a day, every day. Grounds will include client parking, a children’s playground, staff offices, a computer lab, a family room and full client access to the kitchen and dining facilities.

In addition to providing a secure place for the agency’s clients, Sullivant said the local shelter will also help families rebuild their lives.

“The most important thing is if we can keep from uprooting our clients to another location and can give them a safe place right here in Cooke County,” she said. “After their immediate safety is taken care of, we can also provide emotional support and programs to help them to reconstruct their lives.”

Information provided by SafeHaven indicates summer is often a time of transition for families and individuals living in crisis situations.

For families with children, it’s easier to move and relocate when schools are closed for the summer.

Reports of domestic violence also increase during the summer when higher temperatures may drive violent exchanges outside.

For more information about Abigail’s Arms, visit www.abigailsarms.org.