Transition Houses
Safe Places for Women and Children
Call 911 or the police if you need help right away
B.C. Transition House
Programs [
Click
for regional listings ]
The violence started when I was
pregnant. I felt alone, trapped, frightened. Where could I go? My girlfriend told me about
a transition house outside of town. The counsellors there understood how hard it is. Now I
have a new life, and most of all, my children and I are safe. Angela, Age
25
For too many women and children,
violence is part of everyday life. That's why the government of British Columbia is
working with communities to stop the cycle of violence and create a safe future for B.C.
women.
A Place to Stay [
Click
for regional listings ]
It's hard to leave when you don't
know where to go. Women have a right to be safe in their own homes — but sometimes the
only safe place is somewhere else.
Transition houses, safe homes and second-stage houses are meant to be safe places. Their
addresses are not widely publicized to try to keep them safer. When you've finished your
stay at a transition house, you are given priority for affordable housing where it is
available.
- Transition houses provide temporary
housing in a safe, secure environment for women and their children leaving abusive
relationships. Women and their children usually stay in a transition house for less than a
month.
- Safe homes provide temporary
accommodation in communities where transition houses do not exist. The safe home may be a
rental apartment, private home or hotel unit.
- Second-stage houses help women who
have left abusive relationships make long-term plans for independent living. Women and
their children usually stay in a second-stage house for 9-12 months.
-
Oct. 30, 2007 news release: Increase to Transition House staffing protects
women.
A Transition House
provides:
- a safe place for you and your
children
- food and other necessities
- temporary shelter
- support in getting financial,
medical or legal help
- emotional help and
counselling
Stopping the
Violence
Help for women who have been beaten
or abused is a critical part of the government plan to stop violence against women. But
responding to violence after it happens is only part of what women and communities
need.
The key to eliminating violence
against women is stopping the violence before it starts.
We are working with communities to
try to change attitudes and behaviours to help prevent violence in the first
place.
Educational resources, publications
and awareness campaigns help parents, teachers and public stop the cycle of violence in
the home and in the community. But we need communities and individuals to take action
too.
Services for All
Women
[
Click
for regional listings ]
Transition houses work hard to keep
you and your children safe so that fear of more violence doesn't keep you from getting the
help you need.
Other barriers can cut you off from
services too:
- your language might not be
understood
- your culture might not be
understood
- you may face obstacles if you have
a physical disability.
The Ministry of Community Services and service providers want to make sure all women can get
the services they need. That's why we are working to remove barriers by renovating
buildings, providing services in different languages and training people who work in
transition houses to identify and eliminate anything that might make you feel
unwelcome.
Women across B.C. worked hard to establish transition houses in their
communities. With funding from the Ministry of Community Services, transition houses and safe homes offer housing
for women leaving violent relationships. They are a safe place to go for you and for your
children.
I didn't want my family to know. I
never told anyone. Then one night he hit me so hard I ended up in emergency. A nurse gave
me the number for a transition house. The next day, I went there on the city bus while my
husband worked. I now know I didn't have to live that way and I feel a lot better about
myself. Meena, Age 41
If you are in a violent
relationship:
- Call a
transition house. To find
the nearest one, look in your phone book under emergency numbers or call the crisis
line.
- Leave and take your children with
you. It's hard to do. It's hard to figure out where to go that's safe. A transition house
is one place. A friend or neighbour who you know will keep your whereabouts secret is
another.
- Call the police. If you need help
right away, the police are your best choice for a response. Use 911 or your community
police number. If it's an emergency, say so right away. Ask them what they can do to
protect you.
Ministry Contact Information
Ministry of Community Services
Community Programs Branch
Women's, Seniors' and Community Services
Box 9899, Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9T9
Phone: (250) 356-9340
Fax: (250) 356-0542
updated: October 31, 2007
| 
[147kb]
