4 minute read
More Than a Place to Stay
More Than a Place to Stay
At Halton Women’s Place, we know that domestic violence has no boundaries and can happen to anyone, regardless of age, race, economic status, sexual orientation, or education.
Statistics tell us that at least half of all women in Canada have experienced one or more incidents of physical or sexual violence since turning 16, and on average, every six days a woman is murdered by her intimate partner. Over 6,000 women and children are sleeping in Canadian shelters on any given night because they are not safe at home. These numbers represent our co-workers, friends, family, and neighbours. There is not a single community across our country that is free of domestic violence.
Intimate partner violence, also called domestic violence, continues to be an issue affecting individuals and families across the globe and right here in our community. Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, spiritual, economic or include psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes a pattern of behaviours that are meant to frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure, or wound someone.
Here at Halton Women’s Place, we continue to provide safe spaces, information, education, and crisis intervention services to women experiencing domestic violence and abuse. We are committed to advocating and raising awareness about the issue and the resources available in our community to help. We are also deeply committed to preventing violence before it starts. Our public education team provides hundreds of presentations each year to teach about healthy relationships, consent, boundaries, and communication. We teach about the importance of bystanders using their voices. We explore how crucial it is to believe a survivor’s disclosure and respond without judgment. We believe that domestic violence cannot be addressed when met with shame. This violence in our communities must be addressed openly, with compassion and understanding towards those with the courage to come forward and tell their stories.
We believe that the survivors of violence within our community are the heroes. They are the reason that our staff work tirelessly to explore options, establish safety, and provide comfort. The safety and success of the women and children we serve is about so much more than just having a place to stay. When women feel supported and valued, they and their children are more likely to thrive.
To effect change for women across Halton impacted by violence, we need the community to recognize the beginning stages of violence. Commit this year to take a workshop and gain tools and knowledge about how you can help someone you care about if you suspect they are experiencing domestic violence. We will be expanding our public education offerings throughout the year to inform you about these topics and work in partnership with all of you to stop violence before it starts.
As well, as Mother’s Day is celebrated around the country, please pause to reflect on those 6,000 mothers and children in Canada who were unable to spend the night in the safety of their own homes due to domestic violence.
Halton Women’s Place is the only women’s shelter in the Halton region providing emergency safe shelter and community outreach services to women and children experiencing domestic violence and abuse. To learn more about how you can help in addressing the issue of domestic violence, please visit www. haltonwomensplace.com.
If you or someone you know is in need of support, call our 24/7 crisis, information, and support lines at 905-332-7892 or 905- 878-8555 or reach out through our online chat tool at www. haltonwomensplace.com/chat. For a list of local organizations across Canada working to address domestic violence please visit www.sheltersafe.ca to see how you can help.
Domestic Violence affects us all. If you or anyone you know needs help, please reach out. You are not alone.
© IMAGES COURTESY OF HALTON WOMEN’S PLACE
