Searching for Shelter For Abused Women

• Provides free legal advice and assistance to low income earners
• Offers representation in a court or at a tribunal, such as the Social Benefits Tribunal or the Landlord and Tenant Board
• Assists with preparing documents, such as an application to the Landlord and Tenant Board

Helps with the following areas:

• Employment Insurance Law
• Canada Pension Plan (CPP and CPP Disability)
• Housing law for tenants and co-op members only
• Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
• Ontario Works (OW)

Note: No advice or representation is given regarding Family Law, Criminal Law, or Refugee Law

Provides counselling to women experiencing issues such as:

• Living in or seeking to leave an abusive situation
• Suicide or thoughts of self-harm
• Depression
• Anxiety and stress
• Low self-esteem
• Loss
• Sexual assualt

Offers assistance for women in crisis, abused women and their children. Provides individual confidential counselling, group sessions, legal advocacy as well as accompaniment to court and legal and Crown appointments, referrals.

Also raises awareness about the issues of abuse and violence against women and children in speaking to service groups, churches, schools, individuals or agencies throughout the District of Parry Sound.

Provides a 10-bed, short-term emergency residence for women, with or without children, who have been victims of physical or sexual abuse, desertion or eviction, or pregnancy

Services include:

• Assistance with crisis intervention
• Assistance in making a safety plan
• Child care for women attending appointments
• Home visits for those who are unwilling or unable to visit the shelter
• Individual counselling
• Information and help with legal aid, financial assistance, and apartment searching
• Outreach
• Referral to other community agencies
• Transitional support
• Transportation to access the shelter

• Provides individualized 24 hour emergency service to victims and survivors of sexual assault and/or domestic violence
• Provides emergency medical assessment and treatment

Provides initial emergency care only with the patient's informed consent, and may include all or part of the following:

• Assessment and treatment of injuries
• Testing/treatment/prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STI), including HIV
• Emergency contraceptives
• Reassurance and emotional support
• Collection of forensic evidence including photographs
• Risk assessment and safety planning
• Referral for medical follow-up
• Referral to appropriate social agencies
• Referral to shelter and or other relevant community resources
• Police involvement, at victims request
• Storage of forensic evidence for up to six months if the patient is uncertain about involving the authorities

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

In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. the office will be closed to the public, and will be open to those who have a scheduled appointment. 

• A staff member will be checking our voicemail and email inbox daily Monday through Friday and will return your message as soon as possible.
• Please note that at this time we are still offering counselling support over the phone or via Zoom if you are a registered client with us.
• If you are not currently registered, please call Melinda (she/her) at 705-840-2403 ext. 0, and indicate that you would like to start services with us.
• Leave your contact information if you reach our voicemail and we will return your message.

Works to empower and provide a voice for women and the communities in which they live in order to:

• Eliminate violence against women and children
• Create social change regarding issues of equality and justice
• Develop, apply and increase awareness of anti-oppressive approaches
• Provide healing from sexual violence

Provides a variety of services, including:

• Advocacy, information and referral
• Beyond Trauma group counselling
• Food and clothing bank (currently closed due to COVID-19)
• Individual counselling
• Journey of Life Group
• Workshops

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

Offers a large variety of counselling services

General Counselling

• Offers individual, couple and family counselling

Counselling may be provided for but not limited to:

• Anger Management
• Adjustment difficulties
• Mild depression
• Relationship problems
• Stress
• Trauma
• Sexual Assault for Men

Abuse Counselling

• Offers individual and group counselling

Sexual Abuse Counselling (for women only)

• Offers education, group therapy, and one-on-one counselling

• Operates an emergency women's shelter
• Manages a crisis support line

Offers the following services:

• Intake assessment to determine appropriate services and referrals
• Assistance in managing the needs of children within the shelter
• Assistance with the development of a personal safety plan
• Crisis and support counselling (adult and child)
• Community education on shelter and issues of abuse
• Follow-up after leaving the shelter

Provides the following programs:

• 24 Hour Helpline
• Family Court Support Worker program
• Transitional and Housing Support Program
• Second Stage Housing
• Women's Outreach

• 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