From the Deputy Director, Parm Kroad
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Victoria Women’s Transition House, considered an essential service, continues to operate throughout the pandemic, offering emergency shelter and support services to women and their children impacted by gender-based violence and abuse. We are following heightened safety protocols including physical distancing and strict sanitation procedures, with digital and phone counselling offered for women and their families. COVID-19 has made service delivery more challenging, but we are committed to supporting these courageous yet vulnerable individuals in our community.
In the past year, Shelter staff have provided direct service to 120 women and 55 children. Referrals have come from a variety of sources including police, hospital staff, community service agencies, and from the women directly. Our Crisis Line fielded over 1941 calls, which were attended to by both shelter staff and Crisis Line volunteers.
In March 2020, our Shelter operations temporarily changed due to the current global pandemic. Staff worked extremely hard to adapt to the changes and to keep women and children safe and sheltered. We have followed WorkSafe requirements and other safety recommendations to implement new protocols and safety measures, to ensure all are safe.
Our Volunteer program provides many hours of service to the Shelter in the form of grocery shopping, baking/cooking meals, organizing clothing closets, stocking kitchen shelves, gardening, and small repair projects. We have had a volunteer carpenter donate his time to one of our on-going projects this year. Since the pandemic, there have been no volunteers working in the shelter, but work continues outside the shelter walls.
Our organization continues to partner with the University of Victoria and Camosun College by providing training and mentorship for practicum students from their Social Work, Child and Youth Care, and the Early Learning and Care Program. We have also again received funding this year for a summer student through a Canada Summer Jobs grant.
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Indigenous Reconciliation and Cultural Safety
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From the Executive Director, Makenna Rielly
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As part of our work here at VWTH, we are committed to focusing on Indigenous reconciliation within our Society to enhance services for Indigenous women and children fleeing intimate partner violence.
We are forming a Working Group and bringing together an Advisory Circle to provide advice and recommendations on how to best offer strengths-based services to support Indigenous women. Members will meet weekly to set terms of reference, goals, and priorities.
All staff and volunteers will be asked to complete an online workshop called Trauma-Informed Practice Foundations that will give a foundational understanding of Indigenous perspectives and respecting diversity through a trauma-based perspective. This work is essential and is part of our Accessibility Plan to welcome and work with Indigenous people and offer better services.
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“Miranda” is a 64-year old woman who came to our shelter in January 2020. She had recently fled from an abusive relationship in another province. Miranda and her abusive partner were in an “on and off again” relationship for the last two and a half years. She described herself as the enabler in the relationship, serving her partner in every aspect, emotionally, intimately, financially, and described her partner as an abusive alcoholic who also struggled with drug addiction. There had been many abusive incidents during this relationship and the final incident involved her partner threatening her with a rifle. Miranda decided that night to leave her partner. Initially, she stayed at a friend's house, and then she fled to another city where she made a police report and obtained a protection order. Miranda had never been to the police before as her partner used gaslighting techniques to convince her that they would never believe her or help her. Miranda moved to Victoria where she initially stayed at a local hostel, and then she contacted our Shelter for help and support. She had previously owned her own business but her abusive relationship had taken its toll on her, so she needed some help getting back on her feet again. Counsellors provided support for Miranda, helped her to obtain needed medical help, and referred her to various community organizations to help her with a donation of household items, gently used professional clothing and a haircut. Very quickly, Miranda regained her confidence and felt like she was ready to make a brand new start here in Victoria. Miranda also connected with our Older Women’s Program, and within a short time, she was attending their support groups, and then eventually she was accepted into our Safe Home program.
*Name is changed for privacy.
For more information on our emergency shelter, counselling and support services for women and their children fleeing intimate partner violence and abuse, please call our 24-hour Crisis and Information Line,
250-385-6611
or consult transitionhouse.net
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A harmful form of psychological manipulation, gaslighting is a common tool used to gain power and control in a relationship. Gaslighting includes being fed constant misinformation and is used to create self-doubt and uncertainty in the victim, leading them to question their own realities, memories and even their sanity.
Gaslighting is particularly problematic during the pandemic, as heightened anxieties and fears exacerbate the desire to gain control over a partner. Social isolation allows abusers to more easily employ gaslighting techniques, as the victim relies solely on the abuser for feedback and sources of information. Anxieties related to COVID-19 make it significantly harder to leave the abusive relationship and the security of home.
If you suspect that your partner is gaslighting you, it’s important not to second guess yourself. Try to recognize the patterns and realize that gaslighting is a form of power and control. It's helpful to develop a support network of friends and family, even if that is virtual support, who can confirm your reality and sense of what is true.
Our 24 Hour Crisis and Information Line is always available. Call
250-385-6611
.
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Violence Is Preventable Video Release
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We are thrilled to release our
Violence Is Preventable video
for young children! Our Children and Youth counsellors have been giving presentations in schools for years, and with the recent school closures, they decided to make a video to help kids stay safe and know they are not alone if they witness fighting at home. We are grateful to
Roll.Focus. Productions
for helping us bring this project to life.
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VWTH is deeply grateful to our many donors including individuals, corporations, foundations, funders and service clubs that provide generous funding support for many of our programs. We are also grateful for the recent handmade cloth face masks and children's books from individual donors.
Our thanks to
Peninsula Coop
for supporting the 2020 PEACE Children’s Camp program. We are very grateful to
Kirsty Thomson
of
Willow Wealth Management, Raymond James
and the
Raymond James Foundation, The Ocean Park Foundation
,
The All One Fund
,
Kim Potash
and the
Barbara and Philip Potash Foundation,
CIBC Wood Gundy, Laura Harris Creative Inc,
and to
Carl Newman
and
Helen Buck
for your generous donations. The VWTH Family Legal Advocacy program received funding and support from the
Law Foundation of British Columbia
and the
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General Community Safety and Crime Prevention Branch
. Thanks to funds from
Women’s Shelters Canada
, we were able to hire an additional Outreach Worker.
THANK YOU ALL!
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Raise the Roof for Shelter
Due to COVID-19, the Modern Real Estate Team
hosted a successful, on-line auction this yea
r instead of their Fall fundraiser. An in-person event will hopefully take place in the Spring of 2021!
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Canada Day Virtual Fundraiser
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7th Juan de Fuca Scouts
With Covid-19 and physical distancing making it challenging for Scouts to sell their fundraising chocolates, one Vancouver Island Scout mom and some generous supporters purchased the chocolate, and re-directed the delicious treats to Victoria Women’s Transition House clients and front-line staff. Thank you very much 7th Juan de Fuca Scout group and supportive friends!
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Lush Cosmetics Victoria
Thank you
Lush Cosmetics Victoria - Government Street
for the bag of colourful fizzy Bath Bombs and 11 enormous shopping bags filled with beautifully wrapped LUSH giftset boxes. These items will be distributed to appreciative VWTH clients, volunteers and front-line staff.
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VWTH Annual General Meeting 2020
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Date:
Tuesday, September 22
Time:
2:00PM
Location:
Due to health and safety considerations, our 2020 AGM will take place over Zoom. Further details will be released closer to the date.
If you would like to virtually join us at our AGM, please RSVP to Laura Reniero at
[email protected]
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Here are some interesting articles that we shared recently via social media:
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Victoria Women’s Transition House Society collaborates, advocates and educates to address and prevent intimate partner violence and abuse of women and children through supportive shelter, housing, counselling and other community-based services.
Victoria Women's Transition House Society is a registered charity.
Our charitable registration number is: 10817 3501 RR0001.
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Stay connected with us on social media:
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It is with much respect to the Lkwungen and SENĆOŦEN speaking peoples of the
W
SÁNEĆ, Esquimalt, and Songhees Nations, on whose traditional territories the Victoria Women’s Transition House Society is located, that we make this acknowledgment with the expressed shared hope to live in communities free of intimate partner violence.
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