Making Waves for 45 Years

Gender-based violence is both an epidemic and endemic issue in our society. For 45 years, Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS) has been making waves on the frontline, tirelessly working to end gender-based violence and provide critical support to survivors.

Last year alone, BWSS answered over 52,000 service requests. Each of these requests represents a woman facing violence—many in life-threatening situations. These numbers are more than statistics; they reflect the urgent reality of the women impacted by violence and the critical need for support.

Let’s keep working together as we continue working for a more equitable world where violence against women is a thing of the past.

Please watch this video to see how we’ve been making waves for 45 years.

Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we join a global call to action as the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence begin. This day reminds us that the fight to end violence against women and girls is both urgent and ongoing—and we cannot do it alone.

Join us in supporting survivors like Sarah and making waves to end intimate partner violence for thousands of women and families. Together, we can create a future where safety changes everything.

Sarah’s Story

Sarah sat trembling, phone in hand, heart racing.

For years, Sarah’s life had been a string of manipulative games and fear at the hands of her abusive husband.

Picture living every day met with the fear that today could be your last. For Sarah, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, this was her life. She was tired of walking on eggshells and living in constant fear. She didn’t want to live or die that way.

The day Sarah decided to call our crisis line, she was terrified. When she finally heard the calming voice on the other end of the line, the tears began, spilling out all she had held back for so long. This was her first chance to speak about the abusive marriage she had endured for 5 years. She struggled to find words through the sobs and fears—fear of judgment for having stayed and fear of her husband’s retaliation.

When Sarah began to voice her experiences, immense relief washed over her, a feeling of freedom and a glimmer of hope. She shared details she had buried, memories she had silenced, and felt, for the first time, seen and validated. The crisis line volunteer listened with gentle empathy, offering Sarah understanding, compassion, and the validation she didn’t know she needed.

At that moment, Sarah began to recognize her strength and courage, which had allowed her to make this life-changing call.

Since our founding in 1979, BWSS has helped tens of thousands of women, girls, and people of marginalized genders like Sarah break free from violence. But as we look back on 45 years of service, we also face the reality that the need for our work has never been more urgent. Today, 44% of women who have ever been in an intimate partner relationship—around 6.2 million women and girls aged 15 and older—reported experiencing some form of psychological, physical, or sexual violence in the context of an intimate relationship in their lifetime.

With your support, each step Sarah took—from her first intake call to working with her BWSS counsellor—Sarah regained pieces of herself, building confidence in her ability to live a life free from violence. She felt empowered, slowly discovering her voice and potential and reawakening the person she was before the abuse.

As her journey with BWSS continued, after accessing the AWARE program, Sarah decided to pursue counselling professionally, and today, she has a private counselling practice specializing in supporting victims-survivors who, like her, have experienced intimate partner violence.

As we reflect on stories like Sarah’s and the countless other lives we have touched, we are reminded of the progress we have made—yet we also acknowledge the work that still lies ahead.

We live in a time of housing crises, economic instability, and rising violence against marginalized communities. BWSS is responding to more requests for service than ever before—This year, our staff and volunteers responded to 52,649 requests for service across all programs.

Together, we have been making waves for 45 years, so thank you for your solidarity with victims. Your quiet and generous support from behind the scenes is the spark that fuels our ability to end intimate partner violence for thousands of survivors’ lives. We are so grateful to be with you in this effort.

P.S. In recognition of our 45th year and the 16 Days of Activism, BWSS will be making important announcements and raising awareness about the housing crisis and its connection to gender-based violence. Follow us on social media or sign up for our newsletter to stay informed and discover how you can take action. Together, we can make a difference.