Week Without Violence

With all of the advancements women have made in the past century, many believe the fight for women’s equality has been won. But the startling fact remains that one in two women over the age of 16 has been a victim of physical or sexual violence in Canada.

Ending violence against women is core to YWCA Vancouver’s mission. To mark Week Without Violence (October 12 – 18), a nationwide violence prevention initiative, YWCA Vancouver is addressing the issue of violence through a variety of projects, resources and events, including a groundbreaking new Mothers Without Legal Status research project and new resources for women escaping domestic violence.

The Mothers Without Legal Status project, one of the first of its kind in Canada, examines the gaps between immigration and family law. It reaches out to women whose sponsorship agreements have broken down, who don’t have permanent legal status in Canada, and who have children who can’t be taken out of the country due to family court orders.

The YWCA is seeing a growing number of mothers without legal status, many of whom have fled their relationships because of abuse. While trying to rebuild their lives and still adapting to a new country, these women are truly in limbo – unable to work or collect income assistance, yet unable to leave Canada and take their children with them.

YWCA Vancouver is also releasing new resources for women who have experienced violence, to be made available throughout Metro Vancouver. YWCA Vancouver’s Stopping the Violence is a brochure and poster that lists transition houses, crisis lines and other support organizations for women fleeing abuse. The Custody and Access booklet, available in seven languages, guides women through the legal processes and terminology in plain language, giving them the tools to make the best choices possible for themselves and their children.