When the seeds were sown for The House of Ruth in the 1970s, the issue of intimate partner abuse was not well understood or documented. There were few places of refuge for abused women and their children. In fact, throughout history, societies around the globe had sanctioned, tolerated, or ignored violence against women. Far too many continue that pattern today. This story of how a small group of earnest, determined women came together in Baltimore to combat such violence provides not only an historical account of the development of a vital program, but also an inspiring blueprint for practical, results-oriented social activism in today's society.