The center opened in 1984, a year after the formation of an advocacy group called Women Against Incest. It defines incest as an act of power, a disorder of power, or an abuse of power. Thus, it rejects the psychiatric, psychological, and family dysfunction perspectives that either place responsibility on the mother and daughter or overlook the social context of incest. Program goals include providing services for incest survivors/victims, working for protection of child victims, raising community awareness, generating funding for additional services, and developing and promoting a feminist understanding of incest within the community. Dympna House has six types of programs: counseling, research, training, community education, accommodation, and administration. Its three priorities are the protection of children, the empowerment of women and girls, and the creation of a referral network for offenders. Women Against Incest works alongside Dympna House as a broad policymaking and lobby group. 8 references.