Mary J Blige opens women's refuge

Mary J Blige has opened a women's refuge in New York.

WENN reports that the singer is a supporter of women's charities and set up the Foundation For the Advancement of Women Now in 2008.

She worked alongside several New York-based organisations to fund the Mary J Blige Centre For Women, which opened on Thursday.

"All age ranges will be able to come to this centre," Blige told CNN. "Women from all walks of life, not just women from poverty-stricken areas. Whatever it is, they'll be able to come here.

"There are going to be psychologists here, doctors here, day care centres here. Anything that you need or they need to be able to better themselves is here for them."

Blige added that she had wanted to use her fame to help a good cause.

"That's why I think as celebrities we're given this job," she said. "We're not given this job to just hold onto this stuff and die with it.

"We're given this job to be able to touch someone and say 'Me too', because they look up to us and look to us for help and guidance and want to be able to relate to us."