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| Women's Support Services page last updated -
February 2, 2012 2:15 PM
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Women's Support Services offers free individual counseling, advocacy, information, outreach services, referrals and support groups for women who are experiencing or have experienced abuse in their relationships.
Women's Resource Society of the Fraser Valley is a non profit registered charity providing specialized programs and services for the Mission and Abbotsford communities. All WRSFV services except for second stage housing are provided at no cost to the women and children who access them. |
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Outreach |
The Outreach program provides support to women (and their dependent children) who have experienced, or are at risk of, abuse, threats or violence,. It is available to women of all ethnic backgrounds who need information, advocacy, support or accompaniment to access community and/or government agencies.
Referrals
The Outreach Program acts as a referral agent to guide women to the services they need or are entitled to. Some of these services include, but are not limited to:
- Individual Counseling or Support
- Group Counseling or Support (Regular or Drop In)
- Parenting Support/Information
- Crisis Intervention or Support
- Housing (e.g. support in securing permanent housing)
- Legal System (support in accessing police & court services)
- Public Education
- Job Skill & Re-entering the Work field (access support)
- Multi-cultural Support Groups
- Advocacy Services (interpretation and translation)
The WRSFV is sensitive to the barriers that immigrant women as well as Aboriginal women face when confronted with issues such as abuse and family violence. WRSFV has specialized services and support groups where women can be confident that their cultural differences will be respected.
Women of Indian descent can access services in Punjabi or Hindi. Other language interpreters are available on request.
Senior women (55+) of all nationalities face unique challenges when confronting issues of abuse in their families. Sensitive and knowledgeable support is available to all.
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
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Legal Booth |
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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
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Counseling |
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Women's Support Services offers free individual counseling in
Abbotsford and Mission communities and are based on "Stopping the
Violence" programs. Stopping the Violence (STV) 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.
STV counseling addresses a wide range of
violence and abuse issues stemming from sexual assault, assault within
a relationship, and childhood abuse. Some of the women who seek STV
counseling services may have experienced a single recent incident of
physical or sexual violence, others may have been subjected to years of
battering, and still others may be trying to deal with long term
effects of childhood abuse. Sometimes
a woman is only seeking short-term support and information while others
seek more in-depth understanding of the issues in their lives. Each
woman and her support worker decide on what kind of support and
intervention would be most appropriate.
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Women's Support Groups |
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Support Groups
Women's Resource Society of the Fraser Valley - 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 hope that women in our groups
will experience the following:
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Networking and connecting with
other women.
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A greater understanding of the
complexities of their experiences of abuse and how it has affected them.
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The shifting of responsibility
for the abuse onto the abuser, and understanding the societal context
for violence against women.
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Discovering personal strengths
and feeling good about themselves.
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Finding out that they are not
crazy and not alone.
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Warm Zone - drop in |
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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.
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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 : |
For location of the warm zone. Click on this map to view a larger image. |
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Referrals |
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Emotional support |
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Hot home cooked meals |
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Clothing |
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Personal hygiene supplies |
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Hair cuts |
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Advocacy |
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Bad date information sharing |
For more information on the "Warm Zone" please call Michele at 604-850-6533.
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Frequently Asked Questions |
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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:
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Advocacy with community agencies (i.e. Police,
Government Ministries, Legal Services, Family Court, etc.)
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Accompaniment services
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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.
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.
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.
All WRSFV services except for second stage housing are provided at no cost to the women and children who access them.
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. |
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