Women's Place facing funding shortfall as domestic violence on the rise - StCatharinesStandard.ca

Claire Ellsworth, development manager with Women's Place of South Niagara, is shown at Apple Self Storage on Kent Avenue in Niagara Falls, where books normally bound for the Book Riot at the Gale Centre each June are stored. Women's Place has taken a finan

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One of the most powerful tools for abusers in abusive relationships is isolation, and this pandemic is proving to be fertile breeding grounds to ply that tactic.

Business shutdowns, lockdowns and stay-at-home orders have made it all the more easy for abusers to isolate their victims from friends, family and even co-workers, leaving victims feeling terrified and helpless. Combined with stressors such as money woes many are facing, that’s led to a disturbing increase in both the number of domestic abuse cases and in the severity of the abuse, say staff at local shelters.

In short, measures meant to keep people safe in a pandemic have the opposite effect for victims of gender-based violence.

At Women’s Place of South Niagara, which operates the Nova House shelter in Niagara Falls and the Serenity Place shelter in Welland, the pandemic has been a double whammy of escalating abuse and plummeting revenue as major fundraisers have to be cancelled.

“We know that increased isolation in our homes and other tensions created by COVID-related restrictions are creating a dangerous situation for women and children across Niagara,” said Jennifer Gauthier, executive director of Women’s Place. “Our shelter staff (are) reporting an increase in the severity of physical violence that our clients are experiencing.”

The isolation may also be making it much more difficult for women suffering abuse to seek help, said Amanda Braet, director of development and stewardship at Women’s Place.

It’s believed gender-based violence has increased by as much as 30 per cent during the pandemic, but many women are unable to even text or call for help because their abuser can be constantly watching when otherwise he might be away at work, said Braet.

“They’re now trapped,” she said of the victims. “It’s a scary time: our phone lines are quiet and people aren’t reaching out for help.”

Part of that silence might be because people wrongly believe the shelters aren’t open during lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, say Niagara shelter staff.

Women’s Place and Gillian’s Place in St. Catharines launched the new Still Here Niagara campaign to let victims know their three combined shelters are still operating and help is available.

Braet said her agency is bracing for what’s expected to be a big influx of women and children turning to it seeking safety once the pandemic-related restrictions are eased.

Gauthier said the community needs to be vigilant to watch for signs of abuse.

“Our community needs to remain vigilant, watch out for friends, family, and neighbours, keep in constant contact, be alert for signals or signs of additional stress in locked down homes,” she said.

Women’s Place is suffering its own financial stress during the pandemic. The agency normally has to raise about $550,000 a year to maintain its programs and keep the lights on, but has for the second year in a row had to cancel the Book Riot that was scheduled for June at the Gale Centre. That event normally brings in about $72,000.

Even next year’s Brunch, Bid and Bowl, which normally brings in about $52,000, had to be cancelled because of uncertainty over the pandemic for an event that takes so much planning, and due to the fact that  many of the businesses that normally donate to the auctions are suffering their own financial crises, said Braet.

Women’s Place has launched its first-ever 50/50 raffle, running to June 30, to hopefully make up for some of the funding shortfall.

“While women are at increased risk, our shelters are also losing much of the fundraising revenue that we depend on from community events to support survivors,” said Gauthier.

Visit https://womensplacesn.org to make a donation to Women’s Place or participate in the 50/50 draw.

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STORY BEHIND THE STORY:

After learning of the new Still Here Niagara campaign, This Week reached out to Women’s Place of South Niagara to see the impact of the pandemic on its operations.

 

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Women's Place facing funding shortfall as domestic violence on the rise - StCatharinesStandard.ca
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