WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A surge in homicides involving women in abusive relationships and a rising number of women whose requests for shelter have been turned away are pushing some Wichita agencies to seek ways to expand capacity to help domestic violence victims.

A local convent will give those efforts a boost later this month when it starts accepting referrals from local shelters for what eventually will be more than 50 rooms by 2018.

The Wichita Eagle reports the 100-year-old Sisters of St. Joseph Convent has been rechristened The Mount and initially will have 14 rooms available. Twelve more are slated to open in January and a dozen more about three months after that.

Harbor House, a Wichita shelter for women, was forced to turn away 178 requests for shelter in August.