"The counseling and the group sessions have helped me to not only regain my confidence, but to rebuild my life from the ground up." - Stopping The Violence Program (STV) client 

Honouring Mothers and Mother-Figures

As Mother's Day approaches, advertisements, articles and posts all begin to remind us to honour the special women in our lives. For many, this means recognizing and thanking the women who have supported and loved us over the years. For others, it can be a deeply challenging time and a reminder of troubling or traumatic experiences. Some women have lost children; some women have never been able to have children; and some women may experience other painful associations with the reminders of their mothers or of motherhood. For parent survivors of domestic violence and abuse, motherhood and a woman's relationship with her child can be very complicated, as the child can trigger feelings of guilt and powerlessness. The child may be a reminder of a partner who abused the family or of a situation where the woman felt isolated and trapped. This Mother's Day, it is important to be aware and understanding of the challenges associated with this day. We honour our mothers as well as those mother figures who supported us at difficult times in our lives - a grandmother, aunt, sister, friend, mentor, or a supportive group of women. We thank and recognize those who listen to our stories with compassion and without judgement and who helped us move forward wherever we were in our journeys.

Stopping the Violence Program

VWTH's  Stopping the Violence Program (STV)  offers counselling for women over the age of 19. Our specialized counsellors offer compassionate and trauma-informed support within a welcoming and judgement-free environment. Based on the needs of each client, sessions are offered one-on-one or within a group setting. During STV counselling sessions, women receive support to help recognize the different forms of abuse (e.g. physical, sexual, emotional, financial); understand the power dynamics of abuse; and explore the psychological and emotional impacts of abuse. Our counselling staff help the women develop a safety plan and support them to set appropriate boundaries and foster self-care.  Through the STV program, VWTH counselling provides a safe, confidential and understanding environment where a woman can talk about her experiences and learn the tools for coping and healing from the effects of trauma. As an integral part of the program, we recognize the strengths of each woman and acknowledge her right to make her own choices.  VWTH counsellors connect clients to other important support services and programs in the community.

For more information about Stopping the Violence, call  250-592-2927  or email  [email protected]

National Volunteer Week

For  National Volunteer Week 2018  (April 15th - 21st), Victoria Women's Transition House celebrated our team of talented and hard-working volunteers, who have given so much to support our organization. In a room festively decorated with flowers, we served tea and cake to our group of volunteers. Two large paper banners were covered in hand-written notes by VWTH staff, expressing gratitude to our dedicated and hard-working volunteers. Each volunteer received a beautiful framed certificate as well as a Thank You card with chocolates. At VWTH we rely on our team of highly-trained volunteers to help in many different areas, including cooking meals at the Emergency Shelter, staffing information tables at special events, helping with our Christmas Hamper Program, delivering donations and supplies, and pitching in wherever needed. VWTH offers a comprehensive volunteer training program for all - with additional training for our Crisis & Information Line volunteers. In the words of one of our volunteers, "At VWTH, every time I do a chore, I am giving time for the wonderful workers at the shelter to spend more time with the clients."

Thank you, Volunteers, for the hours of work you put into supporting us. We couldn't do it without you! For more information about our Volunteer Program or if you would like to volunteer, please visit our  website  or contact Carol at  [email protected]  

Dena McDonald - VWTH's 2018 Charity Champion

"Hello! My name is Dena McDonald and as a member of the VWTH Board of Directors, I am honored to run as a Charity Champion in the  Saturday, June 2, 2018  Victoria Goddess Run.  By profession, I am a Registered Massage Therapist with a focus on rehabilitation, and when not running, I enjoy paddle boarding and cooking for family and friends. I am eager to lend my voice in support of Victoria Women's Transition House and run proudly in the Victoria Goddess Run as the VWTH Charity Champion.  To date, I have raised $1,105 towards my $3000 goal. All funds raised will be directed to VWTH.  Please join me in support of the important work done by VWTH on behalf of vulnerable women and children in our community."                                                                 ~ Dena McDonald

You can support Dena's commitment to VWTH by donating to her Go Fund Me campaign: www.gofundme.com/dena-runs-for-transition-house or Google "Go Fund Me" and type "Dena McDonald" into the search line. Thank you for your support!

Upcoming Events

Women, Wine, Golf and Dine Victoria Golf Club  Thursday, June 14th Victoria Golf Club 1110 Beach Drive Join us for an all-day women's golfing event at the beautiful, scenic, ocean-side Victoria Golf Club.  The festivities include on-course hospitality, fun competitions, tee gifts and prizes. The day winds up with a wine reception, silent auction and a beautiful dinner showcasing locally sourced west coast cuisine from VGC Executive Chef, Cameron Ballendine. Net proceeds go to VWTH. The event is sponsored by Wellington-Altus Private Wealth, Schneider Wealth Management. To be put on the Registration List for this event and for more information, contact Emily at  [email protected]

Car Free Day YYJ 2018

VWTH is excited to once again take part in  Car Free YYJ  on  Sunday, June 17th , along with hundreds of other vendors on Douglas Street in downtown Victoria.  Presented by the Downtown Victoria Business Association (DVBA), the city's fourth annual community celebration will feature local vendors, music, food, and so much more. We will be there with a fun raffle and chatting about the work that we are able to do thanks to our supporters.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Cherish Returns - Update!

Cherish: A Glamorous Evening of Fashion and Philanthropy   Thursday, October 4th Crystal Ballroom & Palm Court Fairmount Empress $85 with a tax receipt It's back! After the success of last year's sold-out event, we are excited to announce Cherish 2018. Models will dance down the runway in the latest fashions from Tulipe Noire Clothing , Hughes Clothing and Outlooks for Men with makeup by Beautycounter and hair by Carreiro the Studio . Enjoy another fun-filled evening in support of  Victoria Women's Transition House  and  Dance Victoria  with wine, light hors d'oeuvres, a silent and live auction, mystery envelopes and more.  Cherish  is generously sponsored by  Kirsty Thomson  of  Willow Wealth Management of Raymond James .  Email  Emily  for tickets and info, including opportunities to join our Community Champion donor program at  [email protected]

Community Support

VWTH extends its most heartfelt thanks to individual donors and community organizations who have generously supported our Emergency Shelter as well as our programs and support services for survivors of domestic violence and abuse.

We wish to extend our sincerest thanks to the United Way of Greater Victoria ​ for their generous contribution to our Older Women's Support Program . In this program, VWTH reaches out to older women in the community who may otherwise remain socially and emotionally isolated. Through an interactive, creative and safe environment, participants of the Older Women's program learn about violence against women, their rights, as well as available community resources. The program aims to empower women and allow for self-determination in their lives as women gather to explore, express, share, learn and discover within a supportive environment. Thank you, United Way of Greater Victoria, for helping make this possible!

Our thanks to the  Kiwanis Club of Oak Bay  for helping us establish a  Residents' Urgent Needs Fund  at our Emergency Shelter. This fund is for women to access critical supports such as emergency cab fares to hospitals; transportation to return to hometown/family for support; bus fare to return to community for a family emergency; prescriptions or over-the-counter medications; critical dental work for replacement of missing teeth; warm clothing during winter; or other urgent supports.

Thank you Hillside Centre & Bentall Kennedy!

Susan Howard, VWTH Development Director with Michele Paget, Marketing Director, Hillside Centre

Thank you so much to Hillside Centre and Bentall Kennedy for their generous gift from customer coat check donations at the Night of Lights event last winter.

In case you missed it...

Here are some interesting articles that we shared recently via social media. "Bill Cosby is found guilty of sexual assault" - NY Times "New study explores extent of brain injuries in victims of domestic violence in Canada" - The Star "Women in Science and Technology" - SCWIST "Restaurant introduces gender-neutral greetings for inclusive dining experience" - National Post "Revelstoke Prevention of Violence Against Women Week event highlights domestic violence" - Revelstoke Mountaineer "How one woman challenged Canada's macho rock-climbing world" - Macleans.ca "Changes to domestic violence law send 'profound signal" - The Globe and Mail

We Need Your Help! Please give to our 2018 Spring Fundraising Campaign.

You can make a difference! Please donate today.

Victoria Women's Transition House Society, working collaboratively, provides shelter, support, counselling and education to women of all ages, with or without children, so that they can live free from the effects of abuse in intimate relationships. The Society strives to prevent and eliminate abuse through education, advocacy and partnerships. Victoria Women's Transition House Society is a registered charity.  Our charitable registration number is: 10817 3501 RR0001.

Stay connected with us on social media: ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌