Community Based Victim Services

INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE – STAYING SAFE DURING COVID-19

For many people impacted by intimate partner violence, staying home may not be the safest option. Abuse is about power and control, and with the closure of restaurants, malls, entertainment venues, salons, spas and other local businesses, the quarantining and social distancing that is occurring because of COVID-19 can certainly provide further tactics to be used to exert control over their victim and allow an abuser to further shut down routes to safety and supports.

IF YOU ARE ISOLATED WITH YOUR ABUSER, THERE ARE STILL STEPS YOU CAN TAKE THAT INCLUDE:

CMHA Crisis Line: For anyone who needs immediate, free, and confidential emotional support, crisis intervention and/or community resource information 24 hours/day, 7 days/week 1-888-353-2273

VictimLinkBC is a toll-free, confidential, multilingual telephone service available across B.C. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-563-0808. It provides information, support and referral services to all victims of crime.

Reach out for help. While people are encouraged to stay at home, you may feel isolated from your friends and family. Even if you are isolated, try to maintain social connections online or over the phone, if it is safe to do so, and try to stick to your daily routines as much as possible.

During COVID-19 the Community Based Victim Assistance Program will continue to provide support over the phone.

Contact 398-8220.

Please call 9-1-1 in an emergency.

Community Based Victim Services is specialized Victim Services and provides emotional support, justice related information referrals and practical assistance to victims and their families, of crime and trauma. You do not have to have RCMP file involvement to receive assistance from Community Based Victim Services.

We Help Victims of:

Relationship violence, including; child and youth physical abuse
partner assault
family violence and elder abuse
sexual assault, including child and youth sexual assault, adult sexual assault, and adult survivors of sexual assault
criminal harassment.

no matter what age, sex and/social demographic you are from.

How We Help

The program gathers relevant information from Crown Counsel and the Police to facilitate a coordinated approach as well as to provide clear and accurate information to clients.

Clients are taught about the court process in order to reduce the anxiety that they may feel about the Justice System. They are given information about the legal process on a one-to-one basis through the use of relevant material, visits to Crown Counsel, and court tours prior to their court appearance. Staff may accompany victims to preliminary hearings and trials and may provide transportation to hospital, court, Crown Counsel and police appointments.

We provide education on partner/family violence, as well as safety planning for those involved in partner/family violence.

We provide assistance with various forms such as Crime Victim Assistance applications and Victim Impact Statements. We also refer clients to relevant support groups, private counselling, transition houses, outreach services, Victim Safety Unit and various community agencies.

Additional Services

We respond to all enquiries for public awareness and education in the local community on victimization, and victim services.

In addition we may assist in the first stage of the application process for the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance.

Community Based Victim Services