Sault Ste. Marie getting new intimate partner violence support centre

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A new support centre focused on helping those impacted by intimate partner violence is coming to Sault Ste. Marie this summer.

Provincial funds will help purchase a space for a variety of supports for women fleeing abuse.

Each year, Women in Crisis Algoma on Oakland Avenue sees upwards of 300 women and children through its doors while helping another 4,000 over the phone.

The 24-bed facility will soon be opening a separate ‘wraparound’ support centre bringing medical, police, legal and other services under one roof.

It will be separate from their busy current building.

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“The phone rings, the doorbell rings, it’s chaotic. So, at the center, women will be able to go meet with a crisis counselor, meet with a lawyer, do those things and not have interruptions, have the full attention of the staff who they’re there to see,” said the agency’s program director Kelly O’Donnell.

Last weekend, the Ontario government announced $2.5-million dollars over three years to allow the organization to purchase and run the new centre.

Over the last year and a half, the city has been rocked by two different murder-suicides involving intimate partner violence that has claimed seven lives.

Provincial officials said funding like this aims to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

“Tragedies like that can’t continue to go unchecked and our government’s taking a really hard, strong stance that we’ve got a … vision to … end gender-based violence, to have an Ontario without gender-based violence,” Sault Ste. Marie MPP Chris Scott.

“And there’s … no silver bullets, but there’s a great opportunity here.”

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The support centre’s funding will expire in September 2027, so Women in Crisis Algoma has been working to open the new building and hire six new employees as soon as possible.

“We’ve gotten job posts, we’ve gotten job descriptions, we’ve started scouting locations just to see what was out there in the Sault,” said Norma Elliot, the agency’s finance and community relations director.

“And so, when the announcement came, we were able to contact one of the real estate people. We’re looking into a location.”

Women in Crisis Algoma said the wraparound support centre will offer support for anyone who has experienced abuse or gender-based violence as well as their families.

The goal is to open the new centre on July 1 and roll out education programs by September.

• Safety planning strategies and other support services
• READ: ‘It’s not as simple as walking away’: Crisis worker on why people stay in abusive relationships
• READ: Advocates push Ontario, federal governments for change in dealing with IPV incidents

Agencies that can help:

• Assaulted Women’s Helpline 1-866-863-0511
• Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline [phone]
• Centre Victoria pour femmes 705-670-2517
• Family Information Liaison Unit 1-844-888-8610
• Ligne FEM-AIDE Provincial 1-877-336-2433
• Manitoulin Family Resources 705-377-5160
• SAVS-Sudbury and Area Victim Services 705-522-6970
• Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre 705-675-1596
• Sudbury Counselling Centre 705-524-9629 x 218
• Sudbury Women’s Ctr (Workshops) 705-673-1916
• Talk 4 Healing 1-855-554-4325
• VIPP - Violence Intervention and Prevention Program (HSN) 705-675-4743
• Voices for Women (Sexual Assault) 705-671-5495
• YWCA Genevra House Abuse Line 705-674-2210 or Toll Free 1-800-461-0133