BWSS is reframing public safety. Survivors of gender-based violence are being failed by the very systems meant to protect them. We’re calling for urgent, systemic change—and we want to hear from you.
On the frontline since 1979.
Battered Women’s Support Services provides education, advocacy, and support services to assist all victims and survivors in our aim to work towards the elimination of gender-based violence and to work from a feminist perspective that promotes gender equity.
Community Engagement
If you believe that all gender based violence must end, then check out our violence prevention opportunities for allies.
Enhanced legal supports and education that help survivors navigate complex legal systems and bridge a gap in services that is often insurmountable without support.Support for survivors and victims of gender based violence
Anyone who has experienced gender based violence, abuse in an intimate relationship, childhood sexual abuse or adult sexual assault may access our services.
Research and Policy
This strengthens our impact by mobilizing community-based experiences and evidence-informed resources from an intersectional, anti-oppressive, feminist and critical race theory, analysis, and practice.
Professional Training & Presentations
Our curriculum is grounded in theoretical foundations, current research, practical skills.
My Sister’s Closet
We are solid members of the zero waste, eco fashion, and the thrift movement. 100 percent of revenue generated from sales help fund the violence prevention and intervention services and programs operated by BWSS.
Synchronicity Second Stage Transition House Program offers safe, affordable temporary accommodation and support services for women and children who have experienced violence.
For more information about special projects and initiatives, please visit our Special Projects page.
safety plans completed
women died in Canada due to gender-based violence in 2024
requests for service
support group sessions averaging 18 participants at each session
crisis calls received
survivors supported through legal advocacy
With your help we responded to 52,649 requests for service
More than a third of all women, girls, and gender-diverse folks worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
We are working to change that.
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Ending Violence Blog
Our advocacy work extends to our award winning Ending Violence Blog where we provide resources and information to end gender based violence.
Podcast Feature: Reframing Gender-Based Violence as a Public Safety Crisis
In the wake of multiple femicides and a growing public reckoning with systemic failures in BC’s response to intimate partner violence, Hotel Pacifico invited BWSS Executive Director Angela Marie MacDougall for a full-length interview on the escalating crisis of...
When the Heat Rises, So Does the Violence: Climate Change and Gender-Based Violence in Canada
As temperatures rise across Canada, so too does the risk to women, girls, and gender-diverse people living with violence. This isn't speculation—it’s a well-documented and increasingly urgent reality. A recent feature in The Narwhal (August 2025), titled “As...
Survivor-Centred Safety – Where Do BC Cities Stand?
Across British Columbia, BWSS has called on every Mayor and Council to take action on gender-based violence—because public safety must be designed with survivors in mind. This tracker reflects where each municipality stands: who’s met with us, who’s committed to...