3 days Ago By Katie Corcoran
The past couple of years have been heart-wrenching for the Sault Ste. Marie community, with recent cases of intimate partner violence resulting in the murders of women and children making national news. Sadly, domestic violence is an ongoing crisis that is not going away.
Women In Crisis (Algoma) Inc. is a 24-bed shelter that provides support to women and children who are or have experienced abuse and violence. They have a variety of services that can help women prepare to leave safely and support them as they move forward.
These services include counselling, which can be short-term or long-term, for those who have experienced abuse, violence and sexual assault. The organization also has a child and youth support program, two transitional housing support workers, and a family court support worker. Norma Elliott, director of community relations & finance for Women In Crisis Algoma, says that they’re finding that a lot of women are having to represent themselves or go into court by themselves.
The organization’s family court support worker can accompany clients to court and help them fill out court documents, which can be extremely complex. “We’re able to help them when they first come through the door, while they’re here, and then follow up afterwards,” says Norma. Something that women in the Soo area might not know about Women In Crisis Algoma is that they don’t have to be staying at the shelter to access their services, such as access to a family support worker, counsellors, and housing support.
Individuals who are supporting someone who’s in an abusive relationship can access help too. Women In Crisis Algoma was established in 1979, and their work continues to be tragically needed. In 2020-21, there were 58 femicides in Sault Ste.
Marie. In 2021-22, there were 53. Last year the cases increased to 62, and this year there have been 59 with still another month to go— and that’s just the cases that have been identified as femicides.
Many are unknown or unreported. The organization received 2,500 phone calls last year from women looking for support, an increase after the murders. “People were afraid,” says Norma.
"When people ask why someone doesn’t just leave, they don’t know that the year after the woman leaves it’s the deadliest.” Norma says that Women in Crisis Algoma is calling for the provincial government to pass Bill 173, which would declare intimate partner violence an epidemic. Additionally, they want the city of Sault Ste.
Marie to include addressing intimate partner violence and sexual assault in their strategic plan, which many other communities have done. The ‘wellbeing and safety plan' portion of the strategic plan does not currently include these issues. In addition to their client services, Women In Crisis Algoma provides education to the community to work towards ending violence agains women and children.
They offer presentations to businesses and organizations on abuse and violence, what it is, what you can do if you know someone who’s in an abusive relationship, or what you can do if you’re in that situation. The organization also runs a “Choices” program for healthy relationships. Two of their workers visit high schools to speak to grade 9 students about healthy relationships, what an abusive relationship is, and what you can do if you’re in one— or if you find yourself being abusive.
They also offer resources for help. “It takes all of us to end violence against women and children,” says Norma. She says that it’s important to provide services to men who acknowledge and want help for the behaviours that perhaps they’ve witnessed growing up and was normal for them.
This time of year can see increases in incidences of domestic violence, with couples trying to stay together for the holidays. Sometimes Women In Crisis Algoma will see an increase in calls as early as Christmas evening. Norma is grateful that at least due to donations from locals, they’re able to provide the holidays to everyone who comes into the shelter.
“Without people like our community members, we wouldn’t be able to make a woman’s stay here as nice as we are able to,” she says. “Our organization is very fortunate. A big thank you to Arthur Funeral Home for donating this article.
We get a tremendous amount of support from our community.” For more information, visit here . Follow Women In Crisis (Algoma) Inc.
on Instagram . To read Ontario Association of Interval & Transition House (OAITH)’s femicide reports and analysis, visit here ..
