Our Settlement programs can support you if you are experiencing physical or emotional abuse at home from your partner.
We can offer you culturally sensitive spaces where women can seek support without fear of judgment.
You can speak to our staff privately and confidentially about what you are experiencing so they can refer you to specialized services in BC. These services can give you:
- Crisis Support: Immediate intervention to connect women with safe shelters and emergency resources.
- Legal Assistance: Guidance on protection orders, immigration issues, and navigating BC’s legal system.
- Counseling Services: Trauma-informed, multilingual mental health support for survivors and their children.
- Advocacy and Outreach: Assistance in addressing workplace safety, financial independence, and building a local support network.
Our goal is to empower women to regain control of their lives while ensuring their safety and well-being.
5 Expert Tips to Prevent or Address Domestic Violence
To help you and other newcomer women combat domestic violence, here are five practical, expert-backed tips:
Create a Safety Plan
- Know where to go in an emergency, keep important documents accessible, and share your plan with a trusted friend.
- Resource: The Ending Violence Association of BC offers tools for safety planning and risk assessment.
Understand Your Legal Rights
- In Canada, you have the right to be safe. Protection orders, legal aid, and police assistance are available to support survivors.
- Resource: Legal Services Society provides legal guidance and resources for women facing domestic violence.
Connect with a Support Network
- Isolation can make abuse worse. Build connections with organizations offering culturally sensitive, multilingual services.
- Resource: Vancouver & Lower Mainland Multicultural Family Support Services specializes in helping immigrant women navigate these challenges.
Recognize the Signs of Abuse
- Early recognition of controlling behavior, verbal threats, or financial manipulation can be lifesaving.
- Resource: Battered Women’s Support Services provides tools to identify and address abuse.
Address Workplace Safety Concerns
- Domestic violence can affect your safety and productivity at work. Employers and coworkers can help create a safer environment.
- Resource: WorkSafeBC offers a Prevention Line for workplace-related safety issues.
Essential Domestic Violence Resources in BC
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, these BC organizations can help:
Emergency and Shelter Services
- BC211: A free, multilingual helpline available 24/7. Dial 211 or visit bc211.ca.
- BC Housing: Temporary shelter and support for women and children fleeing violence (bchousing.org).
- Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter: Crisis lines and transition housing (rapereliefshelter.bc.ca).
Counseling and Multicultural Support
- Battered Women’s Support Services: Advocacy, counseling, and support groups (bwss.org).
- Vancouver & Lower Mainland Multicultural Family Support Services: Multilingual counseling and legal assistance (vlmfss.ca).
Legal and Advocacy Resources
- Legal Services Society: Free legal aid, including resources for immigrant women (lss.bc.ca).
- Canadian Bar Association BC Branch: Information about protection orders and criminal charges (cba.org).
Specialized Resources
- The Healing Journey: Family violence resources for Indigenous communities (thehealingjourney.ca).
- BC Coalition of Persons with Disabilities: Support for women with disabilities (bccpd.bc.ca).
Take Action Today
Domestic violence is never acceptable, and help is available. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
For non-urgent support, contact the resources listed above.
Together, we can create a safer, more supportive community where all women, regardless of their background, can live free from violence.
