A Sad Farewell

It is with great sadness that the Women's Crisis Center Collective has closed the Women's Crisis Center. The Center was founded in 1972 by a group of feminists who envisioned the first rape crisis center in the country. Their goals were to build a strong community of women committed to a long-term struggle to feminize our world and our community. The Women's Crisis Center has served this community during the last 18 years as a feminist, grassroots collective.

The Center was founded on the philosophy of women helping women help themselves. This philosophy has been the motivation for all of our work. Our work has included a crisis counseling phone line to which many women have turned in times of need. Self-defense and other workshops were offered; affordable do-it-yourself divorce kits were sold; and referrals to community resources were given. In addition, the Center has been a feminist training ground for many of the now-seasoned feminist activists working throughout Washtenaw County and the United States. The Center also laid the foundation for other feminist organizations in Washtenaw County.

The herstory of the Center has left behind many memories. Women who called the crisis line may remember the understanding counselor who offered support, and helped to define options and implement solutions. Women who worked at the Women's Crisis Center may remember coordination committee meetings, their phone shifts, and experiencing the strength of a community of women.

We, the current Women's Crisis Center Collective, believe that the Women's Crisis Center was a very special place for women in Washtenaw County. We want to offer an explanation about why we are closing to all of the women who have given their time, money and trust to the Women's Crisis Center over the past 18 years.

Two problems perpetually plagued the Women's Crisis Center: lack of funding and a transient pool of volunteers. Ultimately, these two problems compounded each other. Without adequate funding, paid staff and volunteers are burned out quickly with the stress of daily survival Without a more stable personnel, funding is difficult to capture.

It is essential for every community to have a space where women can congregate to share their personal experience and to organize against sexism, racism, heterosexism, classism, and all other oppressions. However, as the feminist movement swings away from consciousness raising as an organizing strategy and moves to focus its energy on single issues, organizations such as the Women's Crisis Center are increasingly more difficult to sustain.

The women of the Women's Crisis Center will remain committed to an inclusive feminism and to the empowerment of women. As the WCC doses, these women are moving into other feminist and community projects. Our final hope is that its closing will motivate all women to re-enact a commitment to feminism and to women's empowerment in this community and in the world. Thank you to all who have supported us in the past.

The Women's Crisis Center Collective

Ypsilanti, MI