The Beaman Home  started in 1985 by the members of the Altrusa Club, a group of business women who felt the need for a place for women of domestic violence to go instead of having to go to the police or sheriff's department for safety.

The Beaman Home provides 24-hour, 7 days a week protection for victims and their children. Any one may make the crisis call for the victim, when possible we would like to talk to the victims themselves.   This way we will be able to find out if there are medical problems that we may need to be aware of.   Does the abuser have access to a weapon? Does he know the location of the shelter?  The biggest myth is that most people feel you have to be a low-income family to experience domestic violence, that is just what it is, a myth. Domestic violence crosses all economic levels, educational, racial, and age groups.  It includes physical, verbal, sexual, and psychological/emotional abuse.  Alcohol may be a contributor to the violence, but while alcohol is often abused by the violent partner, it is not the cause of the violence.   Rather it allows the offender to abdicate responsibility for the behavior.   It is a well-known fact that domestic violence is a learned behavior.  AND the average victim will return at least seven times before leaving for good. The victim of abuse may be a wife/husband/partner, child, or elderly person.  But it will always effect the family.   Most victims believe if I just love them enough I can help them change, but in all actuality the abuser them self have to find the need to want to change and that they have a problem.   They can change themselves with counseling and anger management groups.

A victim needs to be 18 years of age or emancipated to be able to enter the shelter.   The shelter offers 3 meals a day, 3 snacks a day, and clothing of all sizes ( if for some reason we can not fit a person we will put them in touch with some one who can.  We have a very good rapport with other agencies in the community often times the victim and their children have only the clothes on their back when they enter the shelter) personal items such as toothpaste, tooth brushes, deodorant and so forth. transportation to agencies, doctor appointments, and etc.   When there are children of school age, school supplies are supplied and transportation set up if needed.    If the parent has a fear that the other parent may come to school and pick the child (ren) up arrangements may be made for homework to be picked up by the parent or staff and brought to the shelter for the child (ren) and it will then be returned to the school by the end of the week.   The Beaman Home provides support groups at and away from the shelter.  We presently are holding groups at undisclosed locations in Warsaw, Plymouth, and Rochester.   If you know of any one who may be interested in any one of these groups, please have them contact us at 574-267-7701.   Childcare will be provided if needed.   We also do what is called an outreach, which is when we will meet some one on a one to one basics in a public place like a restaurant or maybe even a doctor’s office, police station, hospital, maybe at their place of employment.   But never in their home. (THIS IS FOR THEIR SAFTEY AS WELL AS OURS)

Each victim is talked to on an individual basis so that they will know what services will fit their situation.   At this point some times it is hard to get the victim to believe you really care or even think you believe what they are saying.   And what works for one victim may not work for another.   We make them aware we are there for them no matter what they may decide in the end.   As stated before the average victim will return to the abuser seven times BEFORE LEAVING FOR GOOD.    There is no cost to the victim for staying at the shelter.   They sign an agreement to take care of their own children, keep their room clean, and help with the chores around the shelter. (like) help prepare the meals and maintain the cleanliness of the shelter.   There’s a curfew of 8:00 p.m. Monday thru Thursday 9:00 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays.   If they do not return by these times emergency contacts are called if emergency contacts do not know where they are appropriate agencies are contacted (POLICE DEPT. or SHERIFF’S DEPT.) and they are sent to the address the client gave us they came from and a wellness check is done.   We work with the victim to educate them on the characteristics of an abuser, cycle of violence, parenting skills, life skills, boundaries, and making changes for self and children.   Our goal at the shelter is to help victims to make healthy choices and safe decisions and to help them redevelop their self-esteem and self-respect.   To set short time goals and not be up-set if you don’t make them.   Some times you just have to go day by day.   You did not get this way over night, and you will not get over it over night.