United Sanctuary Against Abuse
United Sanctuary Against Abuse (USAA) is a registered, DSD-subsidised shelter and victim empowerment programme for abused women and their children in Atlantis, Western Cape. Founded in response to Atlantis's high rate of domestic violence and originally supported by NUMSA, USAA provides emergency shelter, therapeutic counselling, capacity building, and economic empowerment programmes to help survivors rebuild independent lives.
Contact & Location
- Felicia Fillies (Acting Manager)
- 12 Kentcres, Saxonsea, Atlantis, Western Cape
Opening Hours
This organisation operates 24 hours.
About
About United Sanctuary Against Abuse
United Sanctuary Against Abuse (USAA) is a registered organisation and a member of the Western Cape Women's Shelter Movement (WSM). It is located at 12 Kentcres, Saxonsea, Atlantis — a community on the West Coast north of Cape Town, approximately 45km from the city centre. Atlantis was established as an apartheid-era industrial township and continues to face high unemployment, poverty, gang activity, and one of the Western Cape's highest rates of domestic violence.
The shelter was founded approximately two decades ago when the need for a place of safety in Atlantis was recognised and NUMSA (National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa) was approached for support, providing the house that became the first USAA shelter. The organisation has since been formally registered and is subsidised by the Department of Social Development as part of the Victim Empowerment Programme. USAA is a non-partisan human rights organisation with no political or religious affiliation.
Services
Emergency Shelter — USAA provides residential refuge for abused women and their children. Boys can be accommodated up to the age of ten. Note: the shelter operates specifically within the VEP mandate and cannot assist purely destitute clients who have not experienced crime and violence (these are referred to other services).
Therapeutic Programme — USAA runs a structured 3-month therapeutic programme for residents. The goal is comprehensive support: residents complete individual and group counselling, develop insight into the dynamics of abuse, and build the psychological tools to leave the cycle of violence permanently.
Capacity Building and Economic Empowerment — beyond therapeutic support, USAA assists residents with practical re-entry into society: personal development, skills training, and economic empowerment programmes that build financial independence — recognising that economic dependency is one of the primary forces that draws survivors back into abusive relationships.
Community Context
Atlantis's geographic isolation (separated from Cape Town by a long stretch of highway) means that survivors in the area cannot easily access services in the city. USAA's presence as an in-community shelter is critical. The acting manager Felicia Fillies has publicly spoken about the challenges of operating the shelter during power outages — the security fencing goes offline during load shedding, creating fear for both staff and residents.