Searching for Victims Of Abuse Support Programs

COVID19 Update: Court case backlog -- clients may experience difficulties contacting local offices and should leave a message with return phone number; VWAP staff will return voicemail as soon as possible

• Provides information and assistance to support participation in the criminal court process
• Services begin once police have laid charges and continue until the court case is over

Offers:

• Case-specific information (court dates, bail conditions)
• Court preparation
• Needs assessment
• Emotional support
• Crisis intervention
• Referrals to community agencies

Vulnerable Victims and Family Fund

Provides financial and court-based supports to enable victims of crime and families of homicide victims to attend court, including:

• Travel arrangements and expenses
• Language interpretation
• Real-time captioning or other equipment for victims with disabilities

• Provides immediate legal assistance to individuals appearing in court without a lawyer
• Informs individuals about legal rights, obligations and the court process
• Provides assistance in the courtroom for bail hearings and sentencing
• Assists with diversions, guilty pleas and adjournments
• Helps determine if further duty counsel services are required or if the matter requires Legal Aid Ontario's assistance in retaining a lawyer

May provide assistance in specialized courts including:

• Aboriginal persons (Gladue) court
• Domestic violence
• Drug treatment
• Mental health

Note: Criminal Duty Counsel cannot assist with trials

• ​Assists Indigenous women and their families who have experienced family violence
• Promotes a healthy lifestyle, health awareness, and mental health wellness

Services offered include:

• Cultural supports and ceremonies
• Emergency support
• Land-based activities
• Prevention of family violence
• Referrals to other services
• Safety planning
• Traditional healing

Victim Quick Response Program+ (VQRP+)

Provides assistance with emergency expenses related to the incident, including:

• home safety
• accommodation
• meals
• transportation
• basic necessities
• dependent care costs
• counselling
• traditional Indigenous health services
• cellular phones
• vision care
• dental care
• aids for victims with disabilities
• interpretation services
• crime scene cleanup
• government/medical documents
• funeral expenses

Additional assistance for victims of human trafficking includes:

• storage locker
• tattoo removal
• treatment at a recovery facility

Note: No direct reimbursement to victims for above supports

Financial support also available for:

• victims who sustained serious physical injuries during a crime
• parents of child homicide victims
• spouses of homicide victims

Provides legal assistance to individuals who do not have the means to assert or defend their legal rights through the following services:

• Client representation in clinic areas of practice
• Free summary legal advice
• Information and referral
• Law reform advocacy
• Public education
• Specialized legal services

Services are offered in the following areas:

• Birth certificates
• Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Disability or Pension benefits
• Canada Child Benefits (CCB)
• Consumer and Credit/Debt issues
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB)
• Disability Tax benefits
• Employment Insurance (EI)
• Employment Standards (ESA)
• Human Rights
• Native Status applications
• Old Age Security (OAS)
• Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
• Ontario Works
• Residential Tenancies (tenants only)

Provides legal assistance for low-income people

Services include:

• Legal representation for eligible clients who appear in court without a lawyer
• Legal aid applications and information over the phone
• Legal resources and referrals to other social assistance agencies
• A legal aid certificate program which enables a client to retain a lawyer for complex and serious cases

Areas of law served include:

• Criminal
• Domestic violence
• Family
• Immigration and refugee

Does NOT cover applications for:

• Wrongful dismissal
• Change of name
• Personal bankruptcy
• Power of attorney
• Money lent to others or money owed to others
• Sponsorship of relatives
• Commercial litigation
• Real estate matters and libel
• Defamation and slander

Human Trafficking is a criminal offence and involves recruiting, transporting, transferring, receiving, holding, concealing or harbouring a person, or exercising control, direction or influence over the movements of a person, for purpose of exploiting them or facilitating their exploitation

Offers the following services to victims/survivors of human trafficking:

• Provides a confidential 24-hour Crisis Line
• Offers trauma counselling
• Provides outreach to individuals at risk of being victimized
• Offers education, prevention and community supports that will increase awareness and understanding of the causes of human trafficking
• Offers information on police investigation, medical and legal procedures
• Provides individuals advocacy and accompaniment through any procedures they choose
• Offers referrals when requested
• Provides information and support for families and friends of the victim or survivor of human trafficking

Office is accessible via appointment only; If you require assistance from Victim Services, you must leave a message with dispatch; non-urgent calls are responded to within one business day

• Offers on-site early intervention and crisis intervention
• Provides needs assessment, safety planning and referrals to community services
• Offers enhanced support for vulnerable victims
• Provides assistance with applications to VQRP+

Victim Quick Response Program+ (VQRP+)
Provides assistance with emergency expenses related to the incident, including:

• home safety
• accommodation
• meals
• transportation
• basic necessities
• dependent care costs
• counselling
• traditional Indigenous health services
• cellular phones
• vision care
• dental care
• aids for victims with disabilities
• interpretation services
• crime scene cleanup
• government/medical documents
• funeral expenses

Additional assistance for victims of human trafficking includes:

• storage locker
• tattoo removal
• treatment at a recovery facility

Note: No direct reimbursement to victims for above supports

Financial support also available for:

• victims who sustained serious physical injuries during a crime
• parents of child homicide victims
• spouses of homicide victims

Responsible for probation services to young offenders
Extrajudicial Measures and Extrajudicial Sanctions

• Encourages individuals to take responsibility for their actions and develop skills to reduce the chance that they will get in trouble again

Restorative Justice Programs

• Facilitates communications between the youth, victims, family and the community, with the help of trained adults, to talk about the harm done and how to repair it

Probation

• Coordinates probation services
• Meets with the individual regularly
• Develops an action plan with the youth and the parent or guardian
• Helps the individual stay out of trouble and achieve their goals

Community Service Order

• Develops and supervises a plan for the individual to take responsibility for their actions and contribute to the community

Aboriginal Alternatives to Custody

• Coordinates meaningful programming that hold individuals accountable and address the issues that may have contributed to getting them into trouble

• Offers culturally relevant victim services within all of the Healing and Wellness programs
• Strives to address, deter and end violence against Métis women and children
• Addresses the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual impacts of victimization

Services include but are not limited to:

• Assistance to navigate available victim services
• Métis-specific resources and access to cultural supports, groups and circles
• Referrals to other programs and agencies including psychiatrists
• Assistance with the development of a safety plan
• Information on local shelters and safe-housing options
• Promotion of MNO Home Flee Kits for those who have fled an abusive or dangerous situation
• Assistance with court procedures including Victim Impact Statements
• Short-term peer support
• Workshops on issues related to violence/victim services

Provides crisis intervention services to community in crisis situations and to individuals affected by family violence and suicide

• Offers immediate on site or telephone assistance
• Dispatches call to police when deemed necessary
• Ensures victims receive support and assistance to secure their safety
• Arranges meeting family members at centre or agreed upon location to discuss possible crisis resolutions

Also coordinates:

• Crisis plan to follow in response to suicide intervention, domestic violence intervention and any other form of crisis situations that may arise in community
• Information sessions and workshops on techniques for healing strategies

Support Services

Supports can include but are not limited to:

• Debriefing and stabilization following crisis situation
• Advocacy on behalf of individuals and families dealing with various agencies
• Meal preparation, transportation, homemaking and other areas requiring support for families in crisis situations such as the suicide of a youth
• Information about/referrals to appropriate resources and services

Provides crisis intervention services to community in crisis situations and to individuals affected by family violence and suicide

• Offers immediate on site or telephone assistance
• Dispatches call to police when deemed necessary
• Ensures victims receive support and assistance to secure their safety
• Arranges meeting family members at centre or agreed upon location to discuss possible crisis resolutions

Also coordinates:

• Crisis plan to follow in response to suicide intervention, domestic violence intervention and any other form of crisis situations that may arise in community
• Information sessions and workshops on techniques for healing strategies

Support Services

Supports can include but are not limited to:

• Debriefing and stabilization following crisis situation
• Advocacy on behalf of individuals and families dealing with various agencies
• Meal preparation, transportation, homemaking and other areas requiring support for families in crisis situations such as the suicide of a youth
• Information about/referrals to appropriate resources and services