HOUSTON Though the holidays are supposed to be a happy time, experts say family gatherings can sometimes turn violent.
So the Houston Area Women s Center is working ahead to prepare local women for the season.
The holidays are tougher, because there is more alcohol around, one of the women who s receiving help from the center said.
She called the center s hotline after a near-fatal beating.
A lot of what we do at the hotline is we do prevention work. We do safety planning. Where would you go if you don t have a place to stay, Frida Villalobos of the Houston Area Women s Center said.
The HAWC helps families find a safe haven, and the counselors know that every minute counts.
The number of women killed by domestic violence in Harris County rose dramatically from 17 in 2007 to 28 in 2008.
Click here for more information from the Houston Area Women s Center.
