Safe home a way out
Post on: 2011-11-02 By: admin
The house is bright and spacious, with plenty of windows. There's art on the walls, plants in the corners and a soothing sage green colour scheme in the common room. Its main level features three bedrooms, a kitchen and a children's play area.
And by the end of the week, it should be officially open to women looking for a place to stay as they make their way out of abusive situations.
While women dealing with domestic violence in the Columbia Valley have had other safe places to stay, Rachel King — who co-runs the Family Resource Centre's Women's Information and Safe Homes Program, which oversees the house — says this is the first program of its kind in the area.
"We've had safe homes, which are private homes that people open up to having women and their children come and stay," she explains. "But this is the first safe house that we've had. It's not a private home."
Instead, the house can hold up to four women and their children at a time. Single women may also access the program. King says the program will offer them housing for about 30 days, while Resource Centre staff help them get ready to move into places of their own, in or out of the valley.
"For a gal that decides she's leaving and needs some time to collect herself, it starts with the basics: personal items, food, clothing, shelter. Then we help her access social services, do a job search," says King.
"It's really directed by her, what she needs. She knows her situation, she knows what's happening in her life, what she needs. So we try and honour what she wants and support her in that way, and not make decisions for her or say, 'oh, no, he's bad, you should leave him.' It's not for us to say."
The safe house was the brainchild of Debbie Neault, who created the Columbia Valley Family Violence Prevention Society 17 years ago. Neault passed away in 2010, and when her group realized it didn't have the capacity to manage a facility on its own, it donated more than $70,000 it had raised to the Family Resource Centre. Donations from the community, and businesses who let the centre buy furnishings at cost, helped bring it forward from there.
With a soothing decor in warm, calming tones, the house's rooms were designed to be "a little bit of a refuge," King says.
"It's a safe place to be, so a woman can leave, because a lot of the time it's with absolutely no money and maybe the clothes on her back. It's just a safe place to be. To regroup and get on with her life."
Women can access the home (whose address is being withheld for safety and privacy reasons) through the centre, or by referrals from the RCMP, doctors, and other community groups and programs. It's open to women from Canal Flats to Spillimacheen.
COMMENTING ETIQUETTE: To encourage open exchange of ideas in the BCLocalNews.com community, we ask that you follow our guidelines and respect standards. Personal attacks, offensive language and unsubstantiated allegations are not allowed. More on etiquette...
All participants will register for an account. It's simple, takes seconds and will keep the comments free of trolls, cranks, and drive-by commenters.
As a community site, we ask that the community help by using the "Report" button on each comment if they feel a comment has violated these rules. You can also use the 'Like' button on each comment to voice your opinion about that particular comment.
Rocky Mountain Diesel Ltd. is
Rocky Mountain Diesel Ltd. is currently seeking
a Licensed Body Shop Technician or 3rd year apprenti view full ad
WANTED 12 mth Rental from Feb for Professor on sabbatical
6 to12 mth rental from Feb 12 for New Zealand
prof on sabbatical. Furn 2/3brm close to town centre. view full ad
Leniam Industries Ltd. is curr
Leniam Industries Ltd. is currently seeking the
following positions in Hinton, Ab. Experienced Proce view full ad
Storage shed, new, heavy duty, deluxe,
8'x12'. Call (250)426-4445 view full ad
Robson, Brand new, private bright, quiet, N/P,
N/S, 1 Bdrm $700 all include. 250-365-3016 view full ad
Twin Rivers - 12 Bdr apts. No
parties, N/S, no pets. Laundry facilities, Security
FIREWOOD for sale. Call 250-344-7677. view full ad
CASTLEGAR N, 1 Bdrm Basement suite Very clean,
very bright with private entrance. F/S, W/D, gas inc view full ad
FOR RENT 3 Bedroom House, CRESCENT BAY Area.
Available November 1st. Phone 250-265-3747 view full ad
27.5 ft Nomad 5th wheel, lots of extras.
$3,600; small pellet stove $100. 250-443-3013. view full ad
MOST READ IN BC THIS WEEK
MOST READ IN BC LAST WEEK
more local news from around BC
+ MoviesTheatre listings
Advertising Information
Sign up for a Paper Route
Alberta Community Papers
Honolulu Star Advertiser
Newlocalhome.com
Washington State Community Papers
View every page of our most recent print edition, as well as an archive of past print editons.
© Copyright . All rights reserved.
Article original from: http://www.invermerevalleyecho.com/news/133007088.html
