Daily journal by Lynne

Our shelter is located in what others may describe as “the middle of nowhere”. We serve a huge geographical area and the next shelter to us is over an hour and a half away. Along with fear, shame and guilt geography tends to be yet another barrier women face in remote areas. These barriers make leaving an abusive relationship so difficult for women.

Many people ask, ‘why does she stay’? I guess we (as service providers and women) are more interested in ‘why is the abuser still abusive’? In any relationship power is shared in different areas of that relationship. In an unhealthy or abusive relationship there is no sharing of power—it’s all held by one person. Over time women who stay in abusive relationships (out of fear, shame, guilt and hope) become a shell of their former self. Slowly—the very person she was is now just a memory. We hear a lot of women talk about who they were prior to the relationship. These memories provide hope that she can one day get back to being that person she remembers.

We are here to support women in their journey and we want to foster hope for those women. Too often we hear in the news that yet another ‘domestic’ ended up in homicide. Our goal is to provide women with resources, support and hope. Hope is something you can get when you feel safe and when you trust others and when you can see that there is a future. Women’s shelters all over Canada are doing some amazing work with women and their children. We feel privileged to serve in this field.

Over the next month this blog will reflect or at least provide a glimpse of what life is like within our shelter. We offer emergency shelter as well as outreach; community based counselling services & groups. The women we meet are amazing. Their courage and tenacity inspires us all and will hopefully inspire you.

Lynne
Executive Director