FAQ

We understand that there is a lot of information to take in. To help, we have collected answers to some “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQs).

The first FAQs provide an overview about concepts such as family violence, intimate partner violence, and gender-based violence, among other items.

The second FAQs answers questions specifically about family violence shelters in the NWT and how they work.

FAQ ABOUT FAMILY VIOLENCE:

What is family violence?

Family violence is when a parent, child, spouse, common-law, romantic partner, ex-partner, extended family member, or chosen family member hurts you. 

This violence can take many different forms, including:

Physical abuse (hitting, slapping, punching)
Emotional abuse (name calling, threats, intimidation, intentional humiliation)
Financial abuse (stealing money or belongings, borrowing money and not paying it back)
Sexual abuse (sexual touching or activity without consent)
Threats against you or others
Harassment (intimidation, ongoing unwanted phone or social media contact)
Damaging your property or harming your pets
Neglect, particularly of a child or dependent adult

Family violence can be a single incident but often is many incidents that together create a pattern of abuse.

To read more about family violence, click here: [link]

You can also learn more on the Government of Canada website: https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/fv-vf/about-apropos.html

Is family violence different from intimate partner violence?

Intimate partner violence specifically refers to violence within an intimate relationship (e.g. spouse, partner, boyfriend, girlfriend) committed by one partner against another. It is also often called “domestic violence” or “spousal violence.”

Family violence is broader, as it refers to violence occurring between family members of any relationship (e.g. parent, child, grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc.). Intimate partner violence can fall within it the definition of family violence.

To learn more about intimate partner violence specifically, click here: https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/gender-based-violence/intimate-partner-violence.html

What is gender-based violence?

Gender-based violence can be understood as types of harm and/or abuse that women, girls, and gender diverse people (Two-Spirit, trans, non-binary) are at highest risk of experiencing.

It can take many different forms – physical, emotional, sexual, financial, etc. – and can happen in public and private spaces.

Gender-based violence can be obvious. For example, someone attacking a woman because they do not like women generally is a clear act of prejudice against a certain gender/gender identity.

However, gender-based violence isn’t always obvious. Consider this: intimate partner violence and sexual assault are often identified as forms of gender-based violence. This is because women and gender diverse people are statistically much more likely to experience it than men are.

To learn more about gender-based violence, click here: https://canadianwomen.org/the-facts/gender-based-violence/

What causes gender-based violence?

Gender-based violence is a complex issue and is often the result of a variety of factors.

The United Nations says gender-based violence is rooted in gender inequality – the belief that men have the right to control and harm women, girls, and gender-diverse people (UNHCR).

There are several factors that can increase the risk of gender-based violence. This includes conflict, humanitarian crises (natural disasters, resource deprivation, etc.), and poverty (Plan International). In the Northwest Territories, factors that can increase the risk of gender-based violence include isolation, lack of access to resources, poverty, colonialism and harmful gender stereotypes.

To learn more about different factors behind gender-based violence, click here: https://www.concern.net/news/causes-of-gender-based-violence

To learn more about root causes of violence against Indigenous women, click here: Native Women’s Association of Canada

Are some groups of people more at risk of experiencing violence than others are?

Yes.

Here are some examples:

In Canada, Indigenous women are four times more likely to experience violence than non-Indigenous women are and are twice as likely to experience violence from an intimate partner (Assembly of First Nations).

Women living with a disability are three times more likely than those without a disability to experience violent victimization (Statistics Canada).

Transgender people are more likely to have experienced violence since age 15, and more likely to experience inappropriate behaviours in public, online and at work than cisgender people (Statistics Canada).

Studies have shown that racialized women who report violence are taken less seriously by the criminal justice system, and their perpetrators routinely receive less harsh punishment (University of Ottawa).

Immigrant women experiencing violence often face obstacles accessing support due to language barriers, fear for their immigration status, and not being familiar with available resources (University of Toronto).

Can’t men experience violence too?

Yes. Men and boys can (and do) experience violence from family members, intimate partners and other community members.

However, statistics show that women and gender-diverse people are at higher risk of experiencing violence, and that women and gender-diverse people are more likely to be killed by gender-based violence.

Data from Statistics Canada shows that women and girls are two times more likely to experience violence from a family member than men and boys, and over three times more likely to experience violence from an intimate partner. Meanwhile, the rate of sexual assault is five times higher for women than it is for men (Statistics Canada). 

Is family and gender-based violence a problem in the Northwest Territories?

Yes.

The Northwest Territories has one of the highest rates of family violence in the country, second only to Nunavut (Statistics Canada). More specifically, this is also true for intimate partner violence, child maltreatment, and violence against seniors.

Data released in 2011 by Statistics Canada showed the risk of women in the NWT experiencing sexual violence was nine times the provincial average (Statistics Canada).

There are several reasons why these rates are so much higher in the Northwest Territories, as well as other northern locations. Remote geography, ongoing impacts of colonization and limited access to services all contribute.

To read more about gender-based, family, and intimate partner violence in the North, check out the resources below:

FAQ ABOUT FAMILY VIOLENCE SHELTER:

What is a family violence shelter?

Family violence shelters are emergency shelters that are open 24/7 for all self-identifying women and their children who are victims of violence. All services provided there are free, confidential, and compassionate. Workers won’t tell anyone you are staying there.

To read more about family violence shelters in the Northwest Territories, click here: [link]

Who can go to the shelter?

Anyone who identifies as a woman in the NWT and is experiencing family violence can go to a shelter.

If there is no shelter in your community or region, your Health and Social Services Authority may provide you with a free return air ticket to the nearest family violence shelter.

How do I get to a shelter?

Call one of the family violence shelters or safe homes in the Northwest Territories. A shelter worker will provide you with more information and instruction. This may involve driving or flying to the closest shelter.

To find a family violence shelter near you and/or a telephone number, click here: [link]

You can still access a shelter or safe home even if your community doesn’t have one. To do so, call the shelter or safe home you would like to access to determine if they have a space available. Then, get in touch with a social worker in your community to arrange the necessary transportation.

What will happen to me at the shelter?

At the shelter, you and your children will get your own room. If you want to talk to someone, you can get support from the shelter staff. They will talk to you about family violence and may give you information about services like counselling, income support, safety planning, and how to apply for housing. You can decide if you would like to use these services or not.

How long can I stay?

The maximum length of stay is usually six weeks, but you can leave whenever you like. It is up to you what you do after you leave the shelter. In some communities, transitional housing and other such programs may be an option if you do not want to return home. Before you leave, shelter staff can help you decide what to do next.

What if I’m experiencing family violence,
but I don’t want to stay at a shelter?

Shelter workers at the family violence shelters can give you support over the phone and help you to make a safety plan. Contact information for the shelters is available on this website. If you live near a shelter, you can also go there for drop-in support without staying overnight.

To find contact information for family violence shelters in the Northwest Territories, click here: [link]

If you and your children are in danger, you may be able to get an Emergency Protection Order (EPO) so that you can stay in your home safely. If granted, the abuser may be required to move out of the family home. If you would like an EPO, call your local RCMP or YWCA NWT’s Alison McAteer House.

To learn more about EPOs, click here: [link]

What if I’m experiencing violence, but not from a family member?

We can still help. The shelters offer support to people who have experienced other kinds of gender-based violence, including sexual assault and human trafficking. Staff can act as a safe person to talk to, and may be able to help with determining next steps and/or a path to safety

How many times can I go to a shelter?

There is no limit to the number of times you can go to a shelter. If you are experiencing family violence, you have the right to go to a shelter.

Can I have visitors at the shelter?

Visitors are permitted to enter family violence shelters on a case-by-case basis. If you would like to have a visitor in the shelter, please speak to staff first so they are aware you are expecting someone.

It is important to note that self-identifying men and boys over the age of 16[1] are not allowed in the shelters or safe homes at any time. This is for the comfort of others staying in the shelter.

Can I bring my pets to the shelter?

Family violence shelters in the Northwest Territories do not currently allow people to bring pets. If you have a pet and this a concern, be sure to discuss your options with shelter staff.

Do I need to talk to the RCMP?

No. Family violence shelters respect your choices. If you do not want to report the violence or charge the person hurting you, you can still go to the shelter. The shelter worker may ask you if you want to call the RCMP, but it is your choice.

Will my children be taken away if I go to a shelter?

No. Shelter workers will only call a child protection social worker if they think someone has hurt your child. This does not necessarily mean that your children will be taken into care. It means Child and Family Services will be able to make sure your children are safe and can get help or counselling if they have been hurt.

I identify as Indigenous. Are there any culturally safe supports available for me?

Cultural safety is very important to family violence shelters and safe homes in the Northwest Territories. Everyone has a right to safely access the space, no matter their background, and each facility strives to be as welcoming, compassionate, and responsive to need as possible.

Staff can also help to connect you with culturally-relevant groups, services, and/or events within the community, such as on-the-land programs, language interpretation, and counselling, among others. Be sure to ask a staff member if you would like assistance.

Can I access the shelter if I am a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community?

Absolutely. Family violence shelters in the Northwest Territories are meant to provide services to any self-identifying women and gender-diverse people, with or without children.

Though male-identifying individuals over the age of 14 are not currently not allowed to stay in family violence shelters, people of any sex, gender identity, and/or gender expression who are experiencing violence can still receive support or apply for Emergency Protection Orders over the phone.

To find contact information for a shelter near you, click here: [link]

Does my immigration status matter?

No, it does not.

If you are a self-identifying woman (with or without children) who has experienced violence from a family member or intimate partner, you are more than welcome to stay at a family violence shelter, regardless of your background. Family violence is illegal in Canada.

Shelter staff can even help connect you with resources and services specific to immigration needs, if you would like.

I have experienced sexual violence, but not from a family member or intimate partner. Can I still get help at the shelter?

Shelter workers can provide emotional support and help connect you with other resources if you are in crisis, no matter who the perpetrator is.

Alison McAteer House in Yellowknife operates a 24/7 crisis line. It is accessible across the Northwest Territories and the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut. If you have experienced sexual violence and would like to speak with someone, call the crisis line at 1-866-223-7775 (toll-free) any time of day or night.

You can also seek support from Victim Services workers in your community and/or region. They can support you if you decide to go through the criminal justice process, or need referrals to other services. Find their information here: [link]

If you would like to speak to a lawyer about your situation, there is an option available to you. YWCA NWT has a program that can connect survivors of family and/or sexual violence with up to four hours of legal advice, free of charge. It can also provide representation in court in specific situations. To learn more, call 1-867-765-8670 or email ilar@ywcanwt.ca.

FAQ