With a reported growing need for an emergency shelter in Cochrane, six women have taken matters into their own hands.
With a reported growing need for an emergency shelter in Cochrane, six women have taken matters into their own hands.
“There is a huge need and we know that without assessment, ” explained Margaret VanTighem, one of the women spearheading the initiative.
The six women who meet for coffee dates started discussing the need for an emergency/crisis shelter in Cochrane earlier this year when it came up that five out of the six women had previously stayed in women's shelters.
“Over 12 years ago I was in a shelter with my kids … when you live in (the relationship) you have a distorted view of reality, ” Jacquie Coulas, one of the spearheaders explained.
Over the last 10 years, more than 103,343 women and 108,955 children have been turned away from women's shelters across Alberta, according to a fact sheet from the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters (ACWS).
According to Statistics Canada's ‘Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile' report, domestic violence trends have been on the rise in recent years, with Alberta listed as one of the top three provinces to have the highest rates of intimate partner violence among the provinces in 2013.
Currently there are no emergency/crisis shelters located directly in Cochrane but there are shelters in Calgary, Strathmore and Morley.
“There is definitely an interest (in this town) for a shelter - this is not a man-hating group, we just want to help women and children, ” Coulas said.
Even without a current needs assessment - with one to be completed by Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) in Cochrane later this year - the need for an emergency shelter is apparent as domestic violence trends have increased within the community.
In response to this, a new domestic violence co-ordinator was hired by the local RCMP detachment this January; Cochrane and Area Victim Services (CAVS) reports a 25 per cent increase in demand for their services this year, translating to a need for the society to hire a fourth full-time member (the vast majority of their cases are domestic assaults); and FCSS staff are applying for grants for specific outreach workers that are specialized in domestic violence.
“We already know from previous studies that (domestic violence) is an issue - we see a lot of clients that are struggling to leave or figure out how to get support, ” said Susan Flowers, manager of FCSS.
Councillor Ross Watson, who has worked with the CAVS and was also on the FCSS board, previously told the Eagle that while the community has a variety of services, Cochrane is “missing the crisis piece. ”
“You drive through Cochrane and it doesn't look like a town that would have many problems but we have problems and I think we are weak in that (certain) area, ” Watson said previously.
The six women have been in discussion with FCSS co-ordinators to complete the needs assessment and will be drafting a business plan to move forward in the next couple of months.
“They are looking at creating a non-profit as (the shelter) doesn't fall in any mandate, ” Flowers explained.
Currently the group is seeking additional community partners for a space or piece of land for the future shelter.
“People have pre-conceived ideas but it's not always (physical abuse), ” explained Patti Fisher, one of the organizers in the group.
The three women who sat down with the Eagle explained that there are different ways men can be abusive through other behaviours including jealously, being controlling, isolation, mood swings, verbal insults and threatening abuse.
“We all have stories but we've come through that now and can give back, ” Fisher said.
For more information or to get in touch with organizers, email the group at [email protected].
