Women Aware, Inc. is a private, non-profit agency that provides services to those affected by domestic violence. We are the lead domestic violence agency for Middlesex County.

Women Aware began in 1979 as an offshoot of the counseling service Women Helping Women. Our first shelter was a small, rented facility that held only three families. Women Aware grew rapidly, however, and within one year we opened our first building with room for six to eight families. We incorporated in 1984 and have steadily expanded our services. At present Women Aware serves eight to ten families in a nine-bedroom, 21-bed facility.

All of our services are free of charge.

Support Group Changes
Please be advised of the following changes:

Women Aware is going through a transition to improve its services across our agency programs. Our goal is to ensure that the support groups run by Women Aware volunteers and staff are in compliance with best practice standards and up-to-date knowledge in service provision to victims of domestic violence. In an effort to address several issues and concerns we identified in our program review, we set forth the following:

  • All off-site support groups are temporarily suspended until the proper procedures and training take place. The restart of any support group under the umbrella of Women Aware will be determined by the Executive Director.

  • A Women Aware staff member has been assigned to conduct an intake for all current group members. All current and prospective group members must complete an intake given by the designated Women Aware staff member. Please contact by eamil or by phone: Milta at mcrespo@womenaware.net or telephone 732-249-7277 or 732-249-4900 to set up an intake appointment. No group member will be permitted to start or continue attending a reinstated group until their intake is completed.

  • Our on-site groups facilitated by Women Aware staff members will continue at the PALS and Outreach locations. This include both Tuesday (English) and Wednesday (Spanish) morning groups which meet at 10:00am and our Tuesday (English) evening group to be held at 6:00pm. Please contact Milta at 732-249-7277 or 732-249-4900 for an intake if you are interested in attending any of these groups.

    • Thank you for your support in assisting us with improving our services!

    Phyllis Adams, MA, MSW, DVS
    Executive Director

    Cynthia Wilcox Lischick, Ph.D., DVS
    Associate Executive Director

    Our Board Members

    • Arthur Roedel, Chair
    • Debra Colon-Gakman, Vice-Chair
    • Jayshree “Tina” Dave, Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair
    • Brenda Giman, Former Chair
    • Lois Berkowitz, Fundraising Committee Chair
    • Marian Haas, Human Resource Committee Chair
    • Matthew Flannery
    • Joe Del Guerico
    • Ella Mae Mitchell
    • Diane Palmer, Acting Secretary

    Click here for more information about each member.