DATE

EVENT

COMMENTS

1971

Erin Pizzey open Chiswick Women’s Aid, Battered Wives Center in London.

First shelter for battered women

1973

Nancy Kirk-Gormley forms Pennsylvania NOW State Task Force on Household Violence.

1974

Erin Pizzey writes Scream Quietly or the Neighbors Will Hear.

First book published on domestic violence

May

1974

Rape Crisis Hotline started at YWCA (later Sexual Assault Crisis Center – SACC, now Sexual Assault Crisis Service ).

Calls were received from battered women, in addition to victims of sexual assault

1975

NOW forms National Task Force on Battered Women/ Household Violence.

1976

International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women held in Brussels.

Spring

1976

Grant written to evaluate SACS Hotline.

Abused women also calling SACS hotline 

Fall 1976

Connecticut Task Force on Battered Women was convened.

Fall 1976

Asylum Hill Congregational Church allocates funds for needed projects .

This recognized the need for services for battered women

Nov. 1976

First meeting of women who will become IH Board;  Alice Kugelman, Mariana Wagoner, Grace Einsel, Betsy Karl, Betty Gallo.

Founding Mothers of Interval House

1977

First battered women’s support group forms in Manchester – later called Womenshare and led by Cecile Enrico.

Grassroots movement begun by women from Al Anon group

Jan. 1977

A  SACS questionnaire about battering elicits responses from two women and drew the attention of local radio celebrity.

Information first broadcast by Brad Davis on his popular rock & roll program

Jan. 1977

Battered Women Support Services organized in part to provide services to women answering Task Force questionnaire.

Professionals and volunteers begin  counseling battered women by telephone

Feb.1977

Hartford Interval House INCORPORATED.

A debate begins regarding having men represented on the newly formed Board of Directors

Fall 1977

Volunteers from BWSS, Womenshare join HIH board of directors.

Oct.1977

Vote to merge HIH board, BWSS and Womenshare as Hartford Interval House.

Oct.1977

Passage of legislation establishing Restraining Orders for wives against abusive husbands and Funding for 4 Domestic Violence Programs in the state.

The first four programs in the state were Hartford, New Haven, Meriden and New Britain

Nov. 1977

Grant from Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to open shelter.

Feb. 1978

HIH staff hired with CETA money.

Very diverse – racially, sexual orientation, formerly battered

Apr. 1978

Shelter opened at 10 Irving Street, later moved to Capen Street.

Sept. 1978

Move to Seymour Street.

Sept. 1979

HIH joins National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV).

Dec. 1979

HIH becomes a United Way agency.

Sept. 1980

Move back to Capen Street while current location renovated.

Fourth move

Sept. 1981

First Day of Unity Held (national observance). To mourn those who have suffered and died, rejoice with and celebrate those who have escaped and survived and thank all who have worked to end violence against all people.

Later the month of October became Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Mar. 1982 

First male volunteer trained.

Fall 1982

HIH moves into present location.

June 1983

Attacked by her husband, Tracy Thurman sues city of Torrington.

June 1983

My Sister’s Place opens (homeless women’s shelter).

1985

First US woman to sue police in federal court on grounds they failed to stop her husband from assaulting her.

Landmark Tracey Thurman wins her lawsuit

1985

Cecile Enrico, Executive Director honored at the

White House by President Reagan for outstanding service to victims of crime.

1986

Domestic Violence Prevention and Response Act(DVPR Act) passed by state legislature.

One of most comprehensive pieces of DV legislation in the nation (mandatory arrest, Victim Advocates in court, police training)

1986

CT Task force on Battered women became incorporated and changed its name to CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Feb. 1987

HIH hired first Family Violence Victim Advocate to work in GA14 Hartford Criminal Court. This came out of the DVPR Act.

HIH had always provided advocacy in the court since its inception

1988

UConn Law school start a program with Interval House  to provide legal services to victims

1989

Received a 3 year grant to provide a first of its kind programs for victims, abusers, and couples.

Did not continue passed 3 years for lack of funding

1991

Womenshare begins meeting again in Manchester after the original group moved to Hartford.

May 1990

The first Spanish Womenshare began.

1992

Surgeon General  ranks abuse by husband to be the leading cause of injury to women ages 15-44.

Oct. 1992

West Hartford Womenshare began.

1992

CT establishes its 1^st stalking law.

Feb. 1994

Domestic Violence Intervention Services (Manchester satellite office) opens.

Hotline, support group, counseling, information & referrals for victims of DV in 11 towns east of the river

Spring

Summer 1994

Major renovations to shelter  (move back in January 1995)

Moved shelter temporarily to brownstone building at Hartford Hospital. Administrative offices moved to IHE.

Lead paint abatement; elevator installed; new sprinkler, phone and alarm systems; new kitchen, use of the third floor.

1994

O.J. Simpson arrested for murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.

1995 Acquitted in the murders of NBS and RG

1997 found liable for deaths of NBS and RG.  $33.7 judgment (unpaid to date). 

1994

Three men appointed to the Board of Directors.

First time male representation

1994

Violence Against Women Act  passed by US Congress.

1995

Baby Emily is murdered at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend.  Gov. Rowland establishes an independent commission to review the case. Cecile Enrico is appointed to the commission.  The commission makes a number of recommendations. 

The 1^st protocol to integrate domestic violence into DCF risk assessments is developed

1996

The Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968 makes it a felony for those convicted of misdemeanor or felony crimes of domestic violence to have access to carry, and/or possess a firearm and / or ammunition.

Amendment applies to civilians, law enforcement and those enlisted in the armed services

1997

First man hired to work full time at IH

Children’s Community Educator

1997

IH and Manchester Police Department receive a grant from Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to form a partnership.  The Domestic Violence Outreach Team (DVOT) is formed.  An IH advocate is housed full time at MPD headquarters and is paired with a DV officer. 

DVOT is the longest running DV Law Enforcement / Advocacy partnerships CT. 

1998

An Act establishing Standing Criminal Restraining Orders (SCRO) is passed in CT.  Violation constitutes a felony charge Judges may issue orders that remain in effect long term – until they are altered or revoked by the court.

1998

First Part time fund raiser and grant writer hired

1999

Opened a satellite office in Avon, Interval House West

Now located in Simsbury

Dec.1999

Interval House became the trade name for Hartford Interval House

2002

West Hartford Court GA 16 closes.

All GA16 Family Violence cases go to Hartford court

2003

An Act Concerning full Faith and Credit for foreign Orders of Protection.  Requires courts to give FF&C to all valid U.S. orders of protection and courts and LE to enforce them as state orders

2003

An Act Concerning Address Confidentiality Program (PA 03-200)

Establishes an address confidentiality program within the Secretary of State’s office

2007

Legislation allowing courts to include pets to be included as protected parties on restraining orders and protective orders is passed.

CT is one of 10 states to date (as of 2009)

2007

An Act Concerning Domestic Violence modified to include Conditions of Release (COR) that establishes release procedures for police officers to follow when someone is arrested for committing a family violence crime.  Officers may set non-financial conditions of release and arrest those who violate those conditions.

Conditions of release work like a temporary Protective order and are valid until the suspect is arraigned in court.  

Aug. 2008

Bought Interval House building from the city of Hartford.

2008

Interval House collaborates with Day Pitney law firm to provide legal services to victims of domestic violence.

Sept. 2009

Men Make a Difference, Men Against Domestic Violence campaign launched by IH with Attorney General Richard Blumenthal as its chairperson and a Founding Father.

Prominent men from Hartford area use their time, talent and experience to help promote awareness of DV and Interval House.

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