Legal Resources

BWSS continues to offer support to victims and survivors of domestic, sexual, and intimate partner violence.

Part of this ongoing support includes compiling lists of external legal resources, publications and links to external legal services. Below are quick links to many of the resources that BWSS finds useful for community workers, victims, survivors, and their advocates.

BWSS Informational Brochures & Resources

Wallet Sized Resource card

Wallet Size Card of Resource Contact Numbers for Women Facing Abuse. You deserve to live free from abuse. Contact BWSS with any question and we’ll support you to find solutions.

Safety Assessment and Safety Planning Tool for Women with Precarious Immigration Status, Refugees, Refugee Claimants and Immigrant Women

Safety Assessment and Safety Planning Tool

For Supporting Women with Precarious Immigration Status, Refugees, Refugee Claimants and Immigrant Women Facing Domestic Violence

How can I help my friend? PDF resource with domestic violence resources and transition house numbers

How Can I Help My Friend?

You may be the only person your friend can trust. This pamphlet explains how you can help, provides a list of transition houses with their contact numbers, and has contact information for BWSS.

When Battered Women Are Arrested – A Growing Problem

In recent years, Battered Women’s Support Services has become increasingly alarmed by the growing number of women accessing our services who have been arrested for allegedly perpetrating domestic violence against their partners. In our experience these arrests are occurring despite the fact that in all cases women were in relationships where they were being abused.

When Battered Women are Arrested Spanish Version

When Battered Women are Arrested Punjabi Version

When Battered Women are Arrested Farsi Version

When Battered Women are Arrested English Version

A resource for women and advocates: Violence Against Women and the Law

Toolkit for Immigrant Women Working with a Lawyer: English Version

Toolkit for Immigrant Women Working with a Lawyer: Punjabi Version

Toolkit for Immigrant Women Working with a Lawyer: Farsi Version

More Legal Resources & Reports

The Justice Centre at BWSS provides legal information, accompaniment to court and legal appointments, we appeal when legal aid has been denied and provide assistance for documents and affidavits preparation. BWSS legal services and advocacy work spans family, immigration, refugee, and criminal law as well as the Indian Act. As part of this advocacy we have written the following resources. Please click on the images below to download the full PDF version of the toolkit or manual.

Gender Persecution and Refugee Law Reform in Canada in response to The Balanced Refugee Reform Act (BILL C-11)

A Women’s Right to Legal Representation: A critical examination of Legal Aid in BC. n

The New Family Law Act and its Implications for Battered Women

The Indian Act & Aboriginal Women’s Empowerment: What Front Line Workers Need to Know

On average, every 48 hours, a woman is killed in Canada by her intimate partner