Searching for Shelter For Abused Women

Provides 24-hour victim support services to adults experiencing immediate, intimate partner violence and sexual assault

These services include:

• Community liaison
• Court testimony
• Forensic documentation and photography
• Individual or group counselling
• Medical assessment and treatment
• Pregnancy testing
• Safety planning and risk assessment
• Sexually Transmitted Infection assessment and treatment

Offers emergency shelter and assistance for women in crisis, abused women and their children. Services and programs are voluntary, free of charge and confidential.

Residential Services include:

• emergency Shelter for women

Non-Residential Services include:

• 24 hours crisis phone line
• crisis intervention
• supportive counselling
• safety planning
• information and referrals
• legal advocacy and accompaniment to court and legal and Crown appointments

Programs and groups include:

• Community Outreach
• Transitional and Housing Support Program
• Children's Voices (a program for children who have been exposed to domestic violence)

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.

• 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

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

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

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 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

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

COVID-19 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

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

Victim Quick Response Program+ (VQRP+) --

• 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, aid for victims with disabilities, interpretation services, crime scene cleanup, government/medical documents and funeral expenses
• additional assistance for victims of human trafficking includes storage locker, tattoo removal, and treatment at a recovery facility
• no direct reimbursement to victims for support listed above
• financial support also available for victims who sustained serious physical injuries during a crime and for parents of child homicide victims and spouses of homicide victims

Family Court Support Worker Program -- 

• information on the family court process
• assistance in preparing for family court proceedings (documenting history of abuse, accessing Legal Aid)
• referral to specialized services and supports in the community
• safety planning
• court accompaniment to proceedings when appropriate 

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 certificate program for complex and serious cases

Areas of law served include:

• Criminal
• Domestic violence
• Family

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

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

• 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
• 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

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

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

Provides assistance in specialized courts such as:

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

Note: Criminal duty counsel cannot assist with trials

Until we can reopen our offices, we continue to offer individual and group services by phone, email and virtual meetings.
You can reach us by phone and email: www.centrevictoria.ca/nous-joindre
Our 24/7 Fem'aide service is always available 24/7 at 1-877-336-2433.

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If you are looking for a shelter, call Fem'aide 1-877-336-2433 or the accommodation closest to you:

• Maison Genevra / YWCA Sudbury - www.ywcasudbury.ca - 705-673-4754
• Maplegate House for Women (Elliot Lake) - www.maplegate.info - 705-461-7977
• Women In Crisis (Sault Ste. Marie) - www.womenincrisis.ca - 705-759-1230
• Chadwic Home (Wawa) - www.chadwichome.com - 705-856-2848

Operates a counselling centre dedicated to providing services to Francophone women who have experienced any type of violence including sexual, physical, psychological, verbal, economical

Offers an array of services including the following:

• Fem'aide, a 24-hour crisis telephone service
• Individual counselling
• Support groups
• Referrals to other community agencies and services
• Crisis intervention services
• Accompaniment to various appointments and meetings
• Public education and awareness campaigns

During COVID-19 pandemic, the office is closed to the public. However, staff are working from home and continue to provide intakes and counselling by telephone or video conferencing.  Anyone new looking to access services are encouraged to call 705-671-5495 or email VFW@hsnsudbury.ca to make an appointment.

Provides community-based, ongoing, longer-term sexual assault counselling and support services for women including:

• Crisis intervention
• Individual and group counselling
• Safety planning
• Community outreach
• Court support
• Drop-in resource room
• Information and referral to community resources
• Public education and training

• 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

• Operates an emergency shelter for women who have been victims of physical, emotional, sexual or financial abuse, and their children
• Supports older women who are escaping abuse from a live-in caregiver
• Operates Brookwood Apartments

Offers a variety of support services including:

• Crisis intervention
• Counselling to women and children
• Referrals to other resources
• Safety planning
• Transitional and housing support
• Family Court Support Worker Program