Ending Violence Blog
Via our award winning blog Battered Women’s Support Services provides education and advocacy as we work towards the elimination of violence.
Work and volunteer at BWSS
Apply to come work with us We are a feminist ending violence organization with an entrepreneurial spirit known for our commitment to creating and implementing programs and services that empower women from all walks of life. We offer the opportunity to work within an...
Canadian courts test the “rough sex” defence (as seen in “The Economist”)
As seen in The Economist, August 1, 2020 In a trial in Canada later this year, one of the questions is whether Cindy Gladue liked rough sex. Specifically, if she liked it rough enough to consent to digital penetration that tore an 11cm wound in her vaginal wall. Ms...
We’re here to serve you online and in person
Here for you in person too Our direct service team has been working very hard since social isolation was mandated in March. Our office has remained open for drop-ins and staff have been onsite. As we enter the next phase of the pandemic here in BC, we are offering...
We support the call to end police street checks that have harmed Indigenous, Black, immigrants of colour, and low-income people who have accessed our services
Our relationship with the police as an organization that advocates to end gender-based violence is complicated. On the one hand, institutional systems have made a relationship with the police a part of our equation in addressing violence as funding for organizations...
How to Help A Friend
What can I do to help my friend? When our friend, family member, loved one is living with abuse by an intimate partner, we have a key role in supporting their journey. You may be the only person that they can trust. Please read on for tips and tools help a friend....
Canada and BC continue to risk lives of Indigenous people as evident in systemic racism in healthcare institutions
We stand by the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, Métis Nation BC, Indigenous leadership’s recommendations to the BC Ministry of Health and addressing the systemic racism in the health care system. Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit peoples are...
Eighteen Months After Leaving Domestic Violence is Still the Most Dangerous Time
Community-based organizations create safety On June 5, 2020, the family of Jennifer Quesnel issued a statement to end speculation about the circumstances of her death. A family member of the mother of three killed in a suspected murder-suicide on Salt Spring Island...
Police Accountability and Police-Involved Domestic Violence
Right now in Canada and the US, police brutality and misconduct are under mass scrutiny. The need for police accountability and transparency has never been more apparent. In light of the suspicious death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, an Afro-Indigenous woman living in...
What’s your safety plan?
Take back your power – Create a Safety Plan Your safety is a priority. We know that what you’re going through is challenging and we are here for you to help you in every step of your journey. If you’re unable to call us at this time, we hope you can consider creating...
Job search during COVID-19
Women with abusive partners will often face serious threats to their financial well-being and barriers to realizing their personal financial capability. Economic abuse often occurs alongside other forms of abuse and is commonly part of a pattern of behaviour through...
Ten cases of men killing women in Canada in the last 36 days
We are deeply devastated to hear of the recent murders of women and girls who suffered at the hands of violent men they once trusted. Since the start of mandated social isolation, there have been eleven domestic violence cases resulting in lethality across Canada:...
Every Dollar Will Be Matched! #GivingTuesdayNOW
Just in time for #GivingTuesdayNow, a generous donor will match all donations made to Battered Women’s Support Services—up to $10,000! Make any sized donation and it will be doubled: your gift will go twice as far! Don’t miss the opportunity to double your impact,...