The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Romania launched a safe house for victims of gender violence earlier this year, providing a home and legal resources for abused women and children.

ADRA, the relief and development organization of the Seventh-day Adventist world church, received accreditation for the ADRA House last March. The center, located in Romania's capital Bucharest, will house up to 24 people at a time, with a 60-day stay limit per family.

Mihaela Mostavi, president of the National Agency for Family Protection in Romania congratulated ADRA "for the quality and comfort of the shelter" and "the large number of potential beneficiaries" the center will assist.

"There [has] been a stringent need for such a project in Bucharest," Mostavi said.

Last year, over 11,000 cases of domestic violence were reported in Romania, with at least one woman killed by a male family member per week, according to national statistics. In 2008, 150 Romanians died due to family-related violence.

"This shelter is a first step in helping victims of family violence," said Cornel Roman, director for ADRA Romania.

The center will provide legal and social services and counseling in addition to shelter, ADRA Romania workers said

About half of all female murder victims are killed by an intimate partner, according to United Nations domestic violence reports.

In an effort to prevent domestic violence, Adventist world church leadership established an annual abuse prevention day in 2001. Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day this year is August 22.

Heather-Dawn Small, director of Women's Ministries for the Adventist church, said the abuse prevention materials provided by the department are being used in churches across Romania.

Small said the heightened awareness is "amazing and wonderful" and that "we need our members to be aware of the seriousness of this problem and how the church can deal with it in a loving yet firm manner."

For more information on Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day, visit adventistwomensministries.org

For more about the ADRA House, visit adra.org.ro (Romanian only).