Community Based Victim Services
Provides justice related services to assist adult, female, male and child victims of violence in relationships; Adult sexual assault; child physical/sexual assault/abuse; criminal harassment; child witnesses and other forms of family violence. Service recipients will include victims of these crimes who may choose not to be involved with the criminal justice system.
The Williams Lake Community Based Victim Services works in collaboration with:
Aboriginal Victim Services
Assisting Aboriginal Victims (male or female, adult or child) of all crimes
17 South 1st Avenue, Williams Lake, BC
Ph. (250) 305-2350 Fax. (250) 392-1533
RCMP Victim Services
Assisting Victims of all crimes reported to the RCMP
575 Borland Street Williams Lake, BC
Ph.(250) 392-8709 Fax. (250) 392-8707
Relationship Violence is any form of violent or abusive behavior that happens in intimate relationships (marriage, common law, family, dating, and friends) or after such a relationship ends. Relationship violence can also occur in situations where one family member has sponsored another family member to immigrate to Canada. The issues around domestic violence in this kind of relationship can be very complex. Being in a relationship does not give anyone the right to be violent. Incidents of violence or abuse can happen once or many times during the relationship and after the relationship ends. Signs of violence or abuse include:
- physical violence (hitting, shoving, restraining, slapping)
- stalking or threatening
- Sexual abuse
- Controlling or intimidation (hurting or threatening to hurt a pet, threatening to hurt someone else, threatening to commit suicide, destroying property or stealing money, neglect, exploitation or financial deprivation)
Mental abuse (put downs, name calling, insults, rejection, belittling, isolation).
Sexual Assault means any form of sexual contact without a person’s consent, including the threat of sexual contact without consent. Sexual assault can range from unwanted sexual touching to forced intercourse. It can involve situations where agreement to sexual activity is obtained by someone abusing a position of trust, power, or authority. Sexual assault is a crime, whatever the past or present relationship between the people involved (e.g. married, or living together dating, friends, acquaintances, strangers). No one has the right to threaten or force another person to have sexual contact. No one has the right to abuse a position of trust, power, or authority to get another person to have sex.
Stalking and Criminal Harassment can take over your life. It is a pattern of threats and actions that can frighten you and take away your feeling of self worth and shatter your sense of security and personal safety. Stalking or criminal harassment can even lead to physical harm. If you are being threatened, followed, watched, called repeatedly, sent things that are unwanted, or if your property or pets have been harmed, you may be a victim of criminal harassment. Stalking or criminal harassment can be perpetuated by anyone (for example, a spouse or partner, a person you lived with, someone you dated, a client, a former employee, a co-worker, a fellow student, a peer, or a total stranger). Although women are often the subject of criminal harassment, children, adolescents and men can also be victims. The harassment may start with conduct that seems more annoying than dangerous. However, if the stalker knows their conduct is not welcome and they continue their behavior, they are committing criminal harassment or stalking.
What can Community Based Victim Services do?
Community Based Victim Services will provide justice related services to all Victims, of all ages and genders, of family and sexual violence including:
- Adult victims of violence in relationships
- Sexual assault
- Criminal harassment
- Survivors of childhood physical and sexual abuse
- Child and youth victims of physical and sexual abuse
Child and youth witnesses of violence in relationships
Community Based Victim Services provides services to victims of a crime who may or may not have reported the crime to the police or be involved in the criminal justice system.
Justice Related Services Include:
- Provide information to victims about their rights under the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)
- Obtain, provide and/or arrange for victims to receive case specific information which they may request under section 6 and 7 of VOCA.
- Provide information about the Criminal Justice System process and roles of key participants.
- Assist victims to work collaboratively with justice system personnel (e.g. Police and Crown Counsel)
- Arrange, facilitate and/or accompany victims to meetings with criminal justice system personnel.
- Court Orientation/preparation.
- Provide victims with information regarding options for travel expenses to court and assist with facilitating these processes and arrangements.
- Accompany victim to court and provide related emotional and practical assistance.
- Provide information and assistance with completing Victim Impact Statements
Other Services Provided Include:
- Education for individuals and/or community Workshops on relationship violence
- Education for individuals and/or Community Workshops on the residual effects of domestic violence in relationships for infants, children and teenagers.
- Safety planning for adults and children.
- Short term emotional support.
- Information and Referrals to other agencies (free services) and private practitioners (fee for services).
- Information on basic court process.
Hours of Operations:
Monday to Friday
(except statutory holidays) 8:30am to 4:30 pm
For more information or to schedule an appointment.
Please Contact:(250) 398-8220 ext. 0
