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About Us
Past & Present
Our mission is to empower survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault in Flathead County through intervention, advocacy, and education.
Every person has the right to be safe.
When that right is violated, our collective voice should echo throughout the Flathead: “It is not okay, and you are not alone.”
We shelter—and shelter is a verb, not just a noun.
You, and your story, will be sheltered in our care. From the Helpline to court and from safety planning to counseling, we offer shelter from the storm.
Survival is often choosing between two bad choices.
Life is complicated. We support a person’s right to make their own decisions. Knowledge, resources, and support from others who care make a difference.
You are enough.
Trauma changes the brain, and the brain can heal. Trauma breaks the heart, and the heart can heal. The scars are real, and you are more than just the scars. When it comes down to it, you have already survived. Even the strongest hearts need support, and we are honored to give it where we can. We are here for you as you are.
Our organization was born in 1976 as a volunteer-led, 24 hour Helpline.
No shelters, no court advocates… just a handful of inspired and passionate local activists working hard to give voice and support to survivors. A national study had revealed that 25% of women were experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime. Even more disturbing, 90% of survivors were not telling anyone about these abuses. Survivors were literally silent about this type of violence that was impacting an eighth of the American population. Grassroot, volunteer-lead organizations like ours were popping up all over the country to try to fill the void of services for women who were trying to escape and recover from intimate partner violence.
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The women who worked to start this organization – then called the Kalispell Rape Crisis Line – faced a social climate that was significantly “less hospitable” to their work than we do now as we pursue the mission of the Abbie Shelter. We feel a deep connection to the women of our past – the founding mothers, as we call them. They were edge walkers. Brave talkers. Movers and shakers. Dreamers and doers. Determined challengers of the status quo. They succeeded. Since that beginning, what started as our volunteer-led hotline has grown and blossomed into a leading local nonprofit organization in the Flathead.
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Our original crusaders for justice, circa 1979.
The Abbie Shelter opened in 1994 and is named for Abigail Frederick, a vocal and vibrant Flathead Valley peace activist.
Abbie had a strong presence among peacemakers in the valley, and she dedicated much of her time to advocating for those who fell through the cracks of a non-peaceful system.
The organization’s work of promoting nonviolence and justice in all its parts is done in honor of all the brave and creative women who refused to be silent about intimate partner violence and sexual assault, and in honor of the strength and courage of all survivors of violence.
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