DALLAS — When domestic abuse victims decide to leave, it's a scary and uncertain time. And now, advocates are scrambling to make sure they stay safe as shelters are at full to capacity.
News 8 spoke to one young pregnant woman who's just days away from delivery and seeking shelter from an abusive relationship.
"He said he would kill me and nobody would ever find my body, he would wrap me in duct tape," she said.
She's so afraid she asked not to be identified.
"My gut instinct is telling me to get out," she said.
On Wednesday, she decided to leave and get to a shelter. She called 16 different places
"They were all full," she said. "They didn't have any room."
She almost had to go back to her abuser until she reached Debra Bowles, with Women Called Moses, a small grassroots organization that helps abused women. They found money for a hotel room.
"We tell women to leave, but where do they go?" Bowles said. "That's why women are homeless. We need churches, individuals ... This is serious; this is serious. Women are fleeing and have nowhere to go."
We called multiple shelters and all said they have no beds, including The Family Place. They've been at 1000 percent capacity for two months
"It's horrible to think you are turning away somebody that might have to go back home," said Paige Flink, the director of The Family Place.
The problem is there are not enough beds to meet the needs. Across North Texas, there are only 240 beds. So shelters have resorted to renting hotel rooms
"I am already spending $12,000 a month on hotels not in my budget, but we're doing it to try and keep people safe," Flink said.
Shelters say it's harder to place victims with children or those with medical needs.
The Family Place did find a bed today for the victim we talked to but it's just one bed and there are many other victims with no place to go.
If you need help here's where you can call:
1-800-799-7233 or visit the hotline.org.
Here are more local shelters that could use donations in this time of need: