Bethany House Founder Mrs. Doris Ward

Through the vision of Mrs. Doris Ward, Bethany House of Northern Virginia, Inc. was founded in 1979 in response to the unmet needs of victims of domestic violence. While working with families in the District of Columbia, Mrs. Ward became acutely aware of the growing crisis of domestic violence in the metropolitan area and was struck by the absence of independent agencies equipped to handle this problem.

Over the past 25 years, BHNV has expanded its programs to provide victims of domestic violence with comprehensive levels of emergency and longer term support.

Northern Virginia communities demonstrated an apparent lack of sympathy toward the issue of domestic violence, often treating the victims as responsible for the abuse, thereby increasing their frustration and suffering. As a result, there was a lack of shelters, an absence of low cost housing, and a long waiting period for assistance. Mrs. Ward realized there was an urgent need for the development of a service that would fill this gap by offering options to victims in times of dire crisis. With vision and creativity, she developed the plan that brought Bethany House of Northern Virginia into existence.