General Questions
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We are a short term facility. Most women stay up to 30 days with a possibility of extension based on their situation and/or housing arrangements.
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Women who stay in the shelter are responsible for taking care of their own children. Children may be supervised during counselling sessions or programming if staff are available.
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No. Please find a friend or family member to care for your pet while you are gone. Another option is to go to the Pet Safe Program in Winnipeg. Knowing your pets will be taken care of will help put your mind at ease.
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Our shelter serves a large geographical area extending north to Beausejour, south to the USA border, west to Winnipeg, and east to the Ontario border.
Client Questions
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Essential things to bring would be: your Driver’s License, Debit/Credit Cards, cash, medications, baby/child supplies as needed, Passports (for identification purposes). Depending on your situation, you might consider having a pre-packed backpack ready and leaving it at a friend’s house for when you are ready to enter shelter.
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- Our shelter provides a variety of services including individual counselling, children’s counselling, and interactive and/or educational groups.
- When you stay at the shelter you will be required to prepare your own meals and clean up after yourself just like you would at home.
- You may be required to share a room depending on space and availability.
- Although we can provide referrals, we do not provide legal counsel or guarantees of housing for after your shelter stay. There are many factors involved and each situation is unique.
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Physical
This includes slapping, kicking, hitting, biting, choking, and use of weapons.
Sexual
Occurs when a person is forced to perform sexual acts or suffers pain or injury during sex.
Psychological
This includes excessive jealousy, controlling a woman’s time, activities, how she dresses, how she wears her hair, not allowing her to see friends and family, and threats to take away her children.
Emotional
This includes name calling, put downs, blaming, and false accusations.
Isolation
Denying partner access or opportunity to keep friends, social contacts, outside interests, and making family contact difficult or impossible.
Financial/Economic
Occurs when a woman has no access to the family money, she is allowed no money for personal use and has no decision in how family money will be spent.
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Children who have witnessed violence in the home often have feelings of sadness, anger, confusion and guilt. The goal of the our children’s program is to listen and support, while helping them understand and cope with these feelings. The main focus of our children’s program is fun and healthy play.
The Children’s Counselor manages the program, and plans activities for the children such as games, crafts, reading, playing with toys and, if it is safe, outings are planned for the children. We try to have things available for children of all ages.
Our Children’s Counselor does not baby sit, however, child care may be provided for when a mother must visit a lawyer or attend a medical appointment and she is unable to access other child care. This child care must be requested in advance and is dependent on the availability of staff. While you are staying at the shelter, you are responsible for your children at all times. We have lots of toys for outside and a playroom in the shelter fully equipped with toys, games, books, craft supplies, and a TV-VCR. Counseling for children who have witnessed abuse may be provided.
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We have many rules and policies that relate to safety. Some of the most important are:
- The property is constantly monitored: we have a camera surveillance system, an intercom system, flood lighting and alarmed doors
- Only approved visitors are admitted to the shelter. Staff control who is let into the shelter and monitor all departures from the building.
- No information is given out without the consent of the client
- The staff on shift wear a “panic button” at all times that is monitored by a security company. Should there be any problems, the police will be summoned within minutes.
- No alcohol, illegal drugs or solvents are allowed in the shelter, no one who is under the influence is allowed into the shelter and those who are using/possessing alcohol, illegal drugs or solvents will be asked to leave
- Everyone in shelter must comply with the “No Abuse Policy”; no abuse of any kind is permitted with the shelter, including no physical punishment of children, no swearing, no violent TV shows or movies, no yelling, any kind of verbal, emotional, physical, sexual, financial or spiritual abuse
- All dangerous and toxic substances (medication, cleaning supplies) are kept in locked cupboards
- Everyone at the shelter (residents, staff, volunteers, service persons, etc.) must comply with our confidentiality policy and protect the privacy of those using our services
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Any abused woman (and her children, if applicable) is eligible for services, both over the phone and in person. Any person (woman or man) is welcome to call our crisis line.
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Phone services include: emergency services, crisis intervention, counseling, supportive listening, referrals to other services, provision of information on a specific topic.