Gillian’s Place offers support to Niagara residents experiencing intimate partner violence
Gillian’s Place provides a range of confidential services for those experiencing domestic abuse. Their services include outreach counselling, legal advice, and transitional housing for women, children and LGBTQQIA2S+ individuals.
Gillian’s Place has long provided support to people experiencing inter-partner violence in the Niagara Region. First opening in 1977 as an emergency shelter, it has since expanded to offer a wide array of community services. It is not necessary to be staying at the shelter to access their other services.
Gillian’s Place prides itself on being inclusive and welcoming of all women, two-spirit, genderqueer, trans and non-binary people facing violence.
Their services include, but are not limited to:
- a crisis line
- counselling
- safe shelter
- child and youth services
- safety planning
- legal services
- support services
- education and resources
With reported rates of inter-partner violence reaching 30% across Canada,[1] the need for such services and support is unfortunately high.
Gillian’s Place also offers community education and violence prevention programs to schools, community agencies, and organizations on how to support survivors. In addition, they facilitate an 8-week psychoeducational outreach group called From Surviving to Thriving that is “designed to educate caregivers and their children about abuse, mitigate risk factors, increase safety, and develop coping strategies to build resiliency.” You can read more about this program and how to register here.
Gillian’s Place has lawyers on staff who can provide legal advice to help you understand your rights, fill out paperwork, understand court processes, and more. Visit their frequently asked questions page for some quick answers, or their main page to learn more about accessing their services.
Gillian’s Place’s mandate is to “…provide confidential and compassionate counselling, legal advice, and transitional support to women, children, Two-Spirit, genderqueer, trans and non-binary people facing gendered violence in our community…” and aims “to offer services and spaces where all survivors can come without reservation, knowing they will be welcomed, respected, and provided with hope, support, and choices.”
[1] Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2019 – https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2021001/article/00001/01-eng.htm
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