Counselling & Support

Stopping the Violence Counselling Program

Victoria Women’s Transition House offers individual and group counselling for women who are currently experiencing intimate partner violence and abuse or who have experienced this in the past. A wide range of issues are addressed including…

• Recognizing intimate partner violence and abuse
• Understanding the dynamics of intimate partner violence and abuse
• Exploring the psychological and emotional impact of intimate partner violence and abuse
• Developing a safety plan
• Strengthening self-esteem
• Strengthening and learning new coping strategies
• Developing assertiveness skills

Older Women and Safe Home

Groups specific to women age 50+ provide support and education on a wide range of issues, such as:

• Recognizing intimate partner violence and abuse
• Understanding the dynamics of intimate partner violence and abuse
• Exploring the psychological and emotional impact of intimate partner violence and abuse
• Developing a safety plan
• Strengthening self-esteem
• Strengthening and learning new coping strategies
• Developing assertiveness skills
• Relationships with adult children

Individual support is also provided to assist women with the transition to independence: housing resources, applications for services, connecting with community resources.

Safe Home

The busy environment of the Shelter is sometimes overwhelming for older women. Transition House offers older women an opportunity to reside, for a short period, in a safe home located in the community, while accessing supportive services offered in other programs.

Spousal Assault Victim Support Program

I am starting to see I am captain of my own ship afloat in the water with a horizon before me, instead of being focused on the ‘port’ I’ve moved away from.

Women’s Counselling Program participant

The Spousal Assault Victim Support Program is a service available to victims of assault, threats or criminal harassment by an intimate partner or ex-partner. Clients are given support as they proceed through the criminal justice system, given referrals to community agencies and provided with short-term counselling.

Our service provides the victim with:

Emotional support

Assistance with:

• Court orientation and court accompaniment
• Victim impact statements
• Criminal injury compensation applications
• Liaison with criminal justice personnel
• Developing a safety plan

Information on the criminal justice system including:

• Court proceedings
• Victim notification
• Case status and court dates
• Protective orders
• Sentencing and post-sentencing matters

This program works collaboratively with community agencies to ensure that the province-wide Violence Against Women in Relationships Policy (VAWIR) is followed.

Regional Domestic Violence Unit: Domestic Violence Emergency Response System

This innovative program provides high-level emergency response for women at the greatest risk of serious injury or death. This program requires involvement with the criminal justice system and assessment by a team, including relevant police agencies.

Family Legal Advocacy Project

This project provides direct, specialized front-line family law support, advocacy and education for VWTH clients, survivors of domestic violence and abuse. Under the guidance and direction of a supervising family lawyer, the VWTH Family Law Advocate offers a range of family law support services to help inform and assist survivor’s access to justice and to facilitate the resolution of their legal issues.