Abuse & Assault
Jennifer Ann’s Group
Web: www.jenniferann.org
Jennifer Ann’s Group is an American non-profit whose goal is to educate others about the very real dangers of teen dating violence. Every year, they have sponsored the Life. Love. Game Design Challenge, challenging game designers to produce a game that deals with teen dating violence without using any violence in the game itself.
Their site talks about warning signs of being in an abusive relationship and other resources on the subject.
Also available are the winning entries to the Life. Love. Game Design Challenge for each year:2008, 2009, 2010
Surrey Community Services – Counselling Services
Phone: 604-584-5811
Web: http://scss.ca/counselling.htm
Surrey Community Services’ team of professional counsellors offers free counselling with specialization in:
- Family Counselling (by MCFD or Youth Mental Health referral only)
- Suicide Prevention, Education and Counselling (19-and-under, self-referral okay)
- Sexual Abuse Counselling (children/youth plus non-offending family, abuse must have been reported with no current contact with offender, self-referral okay)
This service is for residents of Surrey, White Rock and Langley.
Ministry of Children & Family Development
Web: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca
MCFD is, broadly, the provincial ministry holding the responsibility for the well-being of children and their healthy development. They are probably best known for providing child protection and supervising substitute care (like foster care and group homes), but also provide services for children with special needs, child and youth mental health, youth justice, and early childhood development programs and services.
Some of the programs they run are:
WAVAW: Women Against Violence Against Women
24-hour Phone: 604-255-6344 Toll-free: 1-877-392-7583
Web: www.wavaw.ca
WAVAW provides sexual assault support services to females 14 years of age and older, and is open and accessible to all women survivors of violence. Operates within a feminist and anti-oppression framework, and is committed to non-violence.
Their services are free and include:
- a 24-hour Crisis Line
- Hospital accompaniment (accessible 24/7)
- Aboriginal Outreach and Counselling Program
- One-on-one and support group counselling
- Victims Services – support, information, advocacy and accompaniment for sexual assault survivors considering reporting to police or other disciplinary bodies.
Battered Women’s Support Services
Phone (Counselling line): 604-687-1867 (Mon-Fri 10am – 5pm; until 8pm on Wednesdays)
Web: www.bwss.org Email: information@bwss.org
Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS) provides support and advocacy for women who have experienced abuse, as well as education about violence against women.
Services include:
- Crisis Support line
- Long-term individual counselling
- Support groups
- First Nations Women’s Support & Outreach
- Legal advocacy and civil court accompaniment
- Dating Violence information-for young women
- Education and Training
- Retail program
Sexual Assault Support Centre @ UBC
Phone: 604-827-5180
Web: http://www.ams.ubc.ca/services/sexual-assault-support-centre/
Address: UBC Student Union Building, rooms 119 A/B
The Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) provides female, male and trans survivors of sexual assault, as well as their friends, family members and partners, with caring, non-judgemental, emotional, medical and legal support, as well as information about options.
All services are free: They have a resource area, public education and workshops, as well as support, advocacy and accompaniment. Their web site also provides information about sexual assault, acquaintance sexual assault (date rape) and common myths & misconceptions.
BC Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse
Phone: 604-682-6482
Address: #202 – 1252 Burrard Street, Vancouver BC
Provides treatment and support services to male survivors of sexual abuse and support for significant relatives and others of the survivors.
Offers individual therapy, group therapy and support groups for partners of male survivors. Appointments are also available in Port Coquitlam and White Rock.
Helpline for Children (MCFD)
Toll-free in BC (no area code needed): 310-1234
Web: www.safekidsbc.ca/helpline.htm
The Helpline for Children is the Ministry of Child and Family Development’s toll-free line for reporting of suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. Ministry social workers are also available to help support families in difficulty, since placing youth in care isn’t always the best or only way to help.
