A Safer Place
Short term, safe housing is available to women and their children who are fleeing an abusive relationship.
Each year, more than 160 women and children receive emergency shelter services from The Women’s Centre Grey Bruce where qualified staff are on-site 24 hours per day to ensure that women are supported during their stay.
Our Facility
Our staff is available to provide understanding support, counselling, family & criminal court support, information and referrals to other community resources.
Our eight bedrooms have recently been updated and feature multiple beds so that families can stay together. Our designated pet room can accommodate a dog, cat, or other small animal. Women share the kitchen, recreational areas, large fenced yard, and laundry facilities.
Residents share cooking and household chores. The home is fully furnished and can meet a range of special needs.
Food, personal care items and other basics are provided for women and children during their stay.
Pet-Dedicated
Room
Our designated pet room can
accommodate a dog, cat, or other
small animals.
Proudly Supported by
Client Testimonial
Coming to the Shelter
Coming to the Shelter
For Women Coming to the Shelter
It’s helpful if you can call us when you make the decision to come to the shelter so we can ensure that we have a sufficient space for you and your family.
What We will need to know:
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When to expect you and learn about any special needs you and your children might have, so we can be ready to welcome you when you arrive.
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We’ll also give you information about what you can expect and how long you can stay.
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We will also talk to you about possibilities and options for you and your family beyond your stay.
When you arrive, we’ll ask some questions to find out how we can help you and get to know you better:
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We’ll tell you more about our daily routines and about our confidentiality policy that protects you and your children
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You will be shown to your room and when you feel you are ready, you can begin to meet other families who are staying with us or, you might choose to spend more time with one of our supportive counsellors.
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While you are with us, we will share information about what abuse is and how you are not to blame when your partner hurts you.
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You’ll have opportunities to listen to the stories of other women and understand that you are not alone.
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We will help you develop a plan to live safely, free from abuse. And, we will tell you about resources that can help you make a fresh start.
In-Shelter Counselling
In-Shelter Counselling
Violence Against Women Crisis Workers provide supportive guidance to women staying in the shelter.
Frontline staff support clients by helping to decrease their sense of isolation, providing education about their rights, building safety plans, and by providing referrals to complementary agencies. Staff help women overcome feelings of loneliness and despair by teaching about the cycle of abuse and by encouraging healthy coping strategies.
Safety
Planning
A Safety Plan focuses on the things you can do in advance to be better prepared in case you have to leave an abusive situation. If you are in immediate danger call 911 and leave immediately.
Contact The Women’s Centre Grey Bruce, Crisis Line @
519-371-1600 or Toll Free @ 1-800-265-3722. Let the staff know that you intend to leave an abusive situation and ask for support in safety planning.
Where to Start
Request a police escort
or ask a friend,
neighbour or family member to accompany you when you leave.
When speaking with
the police, you can request a police officer that specializes
in abuse cases.
DO NOT tell your partner you are leaving.
Leave quickly.
Consult a lawyer. The Women's Centre Grey Bruce can provide a list of legal resources.
Things you can do to prepare
Keep any evidence
of physical abuse,
such as photos.
Keep a journal of all violent incidents, noting dates, events, threats and any witnesses.
Remember to clear your phone of the last number you called to avoid the abuser utilizing redial.
Have a back-up plan if your partner finds out where you're going.
If you are injured, go to a doctor, emergency room or a clinic and report what happened to you. Ask medical officials to document your visit.
Change address with Canada Post – ensure notice does NOT to come to your present address.
Open a bank account in your own name and arrange that no bank statements or calls be made to you. Or, arrange that mail be sent to a friend or family member.
Plan your emergency exits. Think about safe areas of the house where there are no weapons and where there are at least two ways to escape.
Plan and rehearse
the steps you will take if you have to leave quickly.
Learn them well.
Never lock yourself in the bathroom. Keep yourself between your partner and your emergency escape if you feel you may need to get out safely.
If the situation is very dangerous, use your own instinct and judgement to keep yourself safe. Call the police as soon as it is safe to do so.
The Women’s Centre Grey Bruce has a pet-designated room. Alternatively, arrange for someone to care for your pets temporarily,
until youget settled.
Decide where you will go if you have to leave home, even if you don’t think it will come to that.
Store digital versions or photocopies of the following documents in a safe place, away from the originals. Hide the originals, if you can. Carry what you can, without suspicion, in your purse.
Passports, birth certificates, Social Insurance Cards, and immigration papers, for all family members
Lease/rent agreement, house deed, mortgage payment records, and house insurance
Divorce papers, custody documentation, court orders, restraining orders, marriage certificate
1-3 years of your partner’s T4s
Work Permits
Medications, prescriptions, and medical records, for all family members
Pictures of your spouse/partner
Set aside, in a place you can get to quickly, $10 to $20 for cab fare
Banking items like credit cards, bank cards, cheque book, and bank statements
Try to keep all the cards you normally use in your wallet
Driver’s licence, vehicle registration, and insurance
Health cards, school records, and vaccination records
Keep the following items handy, but only grab them if it's safe to do so:
Emergency suitcase with immediate needs.
Jewelry
Small Saleable
objetcs.
Items of special sentimental value
A list of other items you would like to take if you get a chance to return to your home
When you leave, take your children if you can. The police cannot help you remove them at a later date, unless you have a valid court order signed and directed by a judge.
In some circumstances, it may be possible for police to escort you to your home at a later date, to remove additional personal belongings. At that time, take the items listed above as well as anything else that is important to you or your children.
