An outreach worker can provide information, referral, advocacy, and accompaniment services. Support workers who speak Punjabi and other languages can be accessed to provide support for women in their own cultural contexts.

For more information please contact;

Abbotsford Women's Support Services,
Telephone:  604-855-3363
Fax: 604-855-9583
email: AbbySTV@wrsfv.ca

or

Mission Women's Support Services
#2, 33070 Fifth Ave., Mission Memorial Centre, Mission
Telephone: 604-820-8455 ext: 109
Fax: 604-820-8495
email: MissionSTV@wrsfv.ca

Clients of the Women's Resource Society of the Fraser Valley have free access to a Legal Information Booth. The Legal Booth offers free legal advice, information, referrals to relevant agencies, and one-on-one assistance with completing legal documents.

This inter-agency service is reserved for women participating in Women’s Resource Society of the Fraser Valley programs. Referrals are done through WRSFV program staff only.

For more information please contact;

Abbotsford Women's Support Services,
Telephone:  604-855-3363
Fax: 604-855-9583
email: AbbySTV@wrsfv.ca

or

Mission Women's Support Services
#2, 33070 Fifth Ave., Mission Memorial Centre, Mission
Telephone: 604-820-8455 ext: 109
Fax: 604-820-8495
email: MissionSTV@wrsfv.ca

Drop-In Support Groups

Women's Resource Society of the Fraser Valley - Drop-In Support Groups are offered Free to women who have experienced physical and/or emotional abuse in relationships.

Groups provide education and support to women who have experienced abuse in relationships.  We offer two types of groups:  a Weekly Drop-in Group and Evening Support Groups. The Weekly Drop-in Group is helpful for women who need immediate support. The Evening Support Groups are closed groups, and we ask women to make a commitment to attend all sessions. Each group consists of about ten sessions, and groups are offered three times a year.

What happens during the support groups?

The Weekly Drop-in Group is intended to respond to whatever issues and concerns the women bring in that week. It is open to women who need short-term, immediate, and/or irregular support.

Evening Support Groups are closed groups and we ask women to make a commitment to attend all sessions. Each group is intended to address a specific theme within violence against women (i.e. anger awareness, self-esteem, empowerment) and each session includes educational as well as therapeutic components. 

Both types of groups are led by one or two trained facilitators who guide the discussion and provide information to participants. Groups are usually started with an opening round, which invites each woman to share as much or as little about her thoughts/feelings as she is comfortable doing. During the discussion, the facilitator may present information on a topic, which has come up for the group. As women become comfortable with each other and with sharing their experiences, we hope they will experience a greater understanding of their experiences of abuse and how it has affected them. We also hope women will discover their unique personal strengths and the positive feeling that they are not crazy and not alone. 

We hope that women in our groups will experience the following:

• Networking and connecting with other women.

• A greater understanding of the complexities of their experiences of abuse and how it has affected them.

• The shifting of responsibility for the abuse onto the abuser, and understanding the societal context for violence against women.

• Discovering personal strengths and feeling good about themselves.

• Finding out that they are not crazy and not alone.

The Warm Zone is a drop in facility for street engaged women. There women will find a full bathroom, laundry facilities, lockers, clothing and personal care items, internet, telephone (including long distance), a kitchen stocked with drinks and snacks, a hot meal each Monday and Wednesday from 4:30 - 6:30pm, support workers and counselors, access to medical and legal services, a monthly HIV clinic, a foot care clinic, pre-employment readiness support, advocacy, pregnancy support and help with obtaining emergency and stable housing. The Warm Zone also helps women who are living and working on the streets develop personal safety plans.

The Warm Zone houses a three year pilot project funded by Status of Women Canada called "Home, Healing and Place". Home, Healing and Place is designed to help facilitate support, healing, skills development, housing and better social inclusion for street engaged women in Abbotsford and Mission. The women of The Warm Zone assist with all aspects of the project including the vision, the services and programs offered, and the overall assessment and evaluation. Home, Healing and Place is also a research project and all aspects of the initiative are being carefully documented by staff, volunteers and program participants.

The Warm Zone has strong community support that includes the City of Abbotsford, Abbotsford Police Department, Abbotsford Community Services, faith-based groups, businesses, service clubs, and individuals.

The Warm Zone drop in hours are: Monday to Friday 9:00am - 9:00pm,
and Saturday 10:00am - 2:00pm

Warm Zone drop in services include :

Referrals

Emotional support

Hot home cooked meals

Clothing

Personal hygiene supplies

Hair cuts

Advocacy

Bad date information sharing

For more information on the "Warm Zone" please call Michele at 604-850-6533.

FAQ's Table of Contents:

What services are available?

Abbotsford and Mission Women's Support Services each offer one-on-one counseling and support groups for women who have been in abusive relationships and for women survivors of abuse. Support groups provide a safe and confidential space to share experiences with other women who understand, to explore issues related to abuse, to identify strengths and survival skills, to learn how to set boundaries and deal with anger, etc. 

Outreach Services include the following:

• Advocacy with community agencies (i.e. Police, Government Ministries, Legal Services, Family Court, etc.)

• Accompaniment services

• Information and referrals to housing options, other community agencies, legal services, social services, and related government offices (i.e. child tax credits and immigration) Women's Support Services work alongside the Children Who Witness Abuse program.

What do you mean by "Abuse"?

Family Violence is NOT a private problem. Definitions of abuse typically talked about are physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse.  

Physical abuse includes activities such as pushing, shoving, hitting, kicking, choking, and slapping.  Neglect is another type of abuse, which means the failure to provide food, shelter, safety, and health care, as well as denying human rights.  

Emotional abuse includes jealousy, humiliation, name-calling, threats, and control.  It is similar to psychological abuse, which can include mind games, intimidation, threats, and control.  

Sexual abuse includes forced and unwanted touching, intercourse, and other sexual acts.

Financial/Economic abuse is another category, which includes control of money or property, misuse of funds, denial of the right of work, etc. 

Who can access the counseling services?

Stopping the Violence counseling is for any woman who has experienced violence or abuse in her life, whether current or past, and whether from family members, partners, acquaintances, or strangers. If you are unsure whether support services are appropriate for you, please contact us to speak to a support worker about your situation.

Do I have to pay for this service?

All WRSFV services except for second stage housing are provided at no cost to the women and children who access them.

How can I access support services?

Women can contact the women's counselors in Abbotsford or Mission during regular office hours to discuss their situation and decide what kind of support would be most appropriate for them. Sometimes a counselor may be in session and therefore not immediately available. In this case an answering machine will take your message and we will return your call as soon as possible.