The exact location of the shelter is being kept a secret to protect victims. It has 30 beds, bringing the total to 90 beds between Fairfax County's three shelters.

Virginia’s Fairfax County opened its third domestic violence shelter, specifically to serve the southern part of the county.

The new shelter, called Artemis House Region 1, opened in February and has almost 30 beds.

Its exact location is being kept confidential to protect victims, as are the addresses of the county’s two other shelters that serve its northern and central areas.

“We now have 90 beds that can be used as emergency shelters for victims of domestic violence as well as sexual violence, stalking and human trafficking,” said Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill at a ceremonial ribbon cutting Monday.

The county held the ceremony off-site at the Mount Vernon Governmental Center in Alexandria.

Here’s what a room at the new Fairfax County domestic violence shelter looks like. (WTOP/Michelle Basch) WTOP/Michelle Basch The new shelter, called Artemis House Region 1, opened in February and has almost 30 beds. (WTOP/Michelle Basch) WTOP/Michelle Basch The shelter’s exact location is being kept confidential to protect victims, as are the addresses of Fairfax County’s two other shelters that serve its northern and central areas. (WTOP/Michelle Basch) WTOP/Michelle Basch Attendees of the ceremony received slips of paper with often surprising facts about domestic violence written on them. As part of the program, people volunteered to stand and read the fact they had been given. (WTOP Michelle Basch) WTOP Michelle Basch Ceremony attendees were encouraged to write notes of support that will be posted at the shelter. (WTOP/Michelle Basch) WTOP/Michelle Basch ( 1 /5) Share This Gallery: Share on Facebook. Share on Twitter. Share via email. Print.

One in four women is a victim of domestic violence. One in seven men also is a victim of domestic violence, Hill said.

“We want people to be empowered to take control of their lives and to make their lives what they want it to be and not what somebody else may think it should be,” said County Supervisor Dan Storck, who represents the Mount Vernon District.

The new shelter is located in an existing facility on property acquired by the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority about seven years ago. The county then spent almost $500,000 renovating the building and turning it into a shelter.

A ceremonial ribbon-cutting was held tonight to mark the opening of Fairfax County’s third domestic violence shelter. It’s the first to serve the southern part of the county, and residents began moving in in February @WTOP pic.twitter.com/J8Ltpf3mk8 — Michelle Basch (@mbaschWTOP) March 25, 2019

Fairfax County’s emergency shelters provide victims a temporary place to stay as they figure out their next steps.

If you or someone you know is being abused in Fairfax County, you are urged to call county’s 24-hour domestic and sexual violence hotline at 703-360-7273.

The county provides more information, including ways you can help, on its Domestic and Sexual Violence Services web page.