Canadian federal, provincial and territorial governments continue to develop a range of policy initiatives aimed at addressing family violence and spousal abuse (Department of Justice Canada 2011). Among those designed to help victims of abuse, initiatives that focus on shelter and housing are especially important. According to a recent study, emergency shelter and related housing assistance are among the most frequently accessed type of victims’ services in Canada (Sauvé 2009).
Using data collected by the 2010 Transition Home Survey (THS), this Juristat article analyses information on residential facilities in Canada, particularly those that offer shelter to abused women. It presents information on the different types of facilities, the number of annual admissions, the reasons women seek shelter and the variety of services offered to clients. In addition, this article examines the use of shelters offering culturally sensitive services to Aboriginal people, including those living on reserve and in the territories.
The information presented in this article refers to two distinct time periods. First, data pertaining to the characteristics of facilities, the number of annual admissions, the types of services offered and financial information were collected in 2010 and are based upon the 12-month period that preceded the survey. Second, information was collected on the women being served in shelters on the specific “snapshot date” of April 15, 2010.