World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Did you know that 1 in 12 seniors in British Columbia experience abuse? This can include physical, emotional, sexual, financial abuse and neglect. Mistreatment is often by a spouse, family member or trusted individual in the person’s life.

June 15 marks World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and signifies older adult abuse and neglect as a global public health and human rights issue. Transition House continues to support older women through counselling and outreach programs and raise awareness about older adult abuse and neglect.
Read and download our handout on Older Adult Abuse & Neglect, here.

Click on the video to watch a recording of our Older Adult Abuse and Neglect presentation.
Community education presentation workshops are available and can be delivered virtually and in-person (depending on COVID-19 safety guidelines). For more information, email us at info@vwth.bc.ca
Program Updates
Emergency Shelters
The VWTH Emergency Shelters as well as our Third Stage Housing complex for older women was abuzz with Mother’s Day activities on the days leading up to May 9. Shelter residents enjoyed a delicious meal, thoughtfully prepared by Shelter staff with groceries generously donated by community groups. Adding an extra special touch, each resident was gifted flowers as well as a self-care package with bath treats from The Body Shop. Some of the more than 50 floral bouquets were encased in lovely hand-painted vases and others adorned VWTH’s residential spaces. Thank you to our generous donors and staff who made the day extra special for all of our clients. 
Older Women's Outreach Program
In partnership with Saanich Recreation, we will be offering an 8-week Stride Fitness in the Park session. The group will incorporate chair fitness, yoga and mat work for up to 10 participants, safely physically distanced.

A huge thank you to our VWTH Stride volunteer, Sue, who has been offering weekly yoga Zoom classes to Stride participants throughout the COVID-19 restrictions when we were unable to meet in person. We couldn’t have kept the program going without her!
Events
Father’s Day–A Commitment to Addressing and Preventing Gender-Based Violence
June 20 will mark Father’s Day. We join in celebrating the fathers and father-like figures, grandfathers, uncles, brothers who foster relationships of respect and equality, free of gender-based violence and abuse. VWTH feels proud to be supported by countless men who help our mission and raise awareness to take a stand against and prevent intimate partner violence and abuse of women and children. However, there is still work to be done.

Everyone knows someone who has been affected by intimate partner violence and abuse, with women disproportionally impacted. A recent Statistics Canada report showed that among solved homicides in 2019, 47% of women victims, in comparison to 6% of male victims, were killed by an intimate partner rather than by another type of perpetrator.

This Father’s Day, we encourage all men to think about how individually and as part of communities, we can better support survivors and prevent intimate partner violence and abuse. This change starts by choosing to become better informed. “Sometimes women don’t recognize what they are experiencing is intimate partner violence and abuse, nor do the people who may witness it, including friends and family. Together we need to be better informed,” VWTH’s Executive Director shared these powerful words highlighting how learning and speaking about intimate partner violence and abuse can help support individuals who need support, thus helping to break the barriers and isolation many survivors feel.

To read about the different forms of abuse, click here. The BC Government’s “Is someone you know being abused?” leaflet provides information about how to support someone you suspect is being abused by recognizing warning signs and communicating in a way that is helpful and non-judgemental. 24-hour support and information is also available through our confidential Crisis & Information Line at 250-385-6611
Victoria Pride 2021
Victoria Pride Week will be celebrated June 28–July 4, with pre-pride festival events starting at the beginning of June. Visit the Victoria Pride Society for a full list of events and join in the numerous celebrations planned.

Every year, thousands of people in the community and across the world come together to show support and celebrate pride. While we cannot currently gather in large groups, get involved virtually and show your display of pride using the hashtag #yyjpride on Instagram and Facebook or send a photo to parade@victoriapridesociety.org
Community Support Spotlight
Youth Philanthropy at Oak Bay High School
Students Genevieve, Holly, Trishna (pictured), Zoe, Ian and other members of the Vital Youth club at Oak Bay High School, recently selected VWTH to receive a grant from Victoria Foundation and the Vital Youth Oak Bay High School Endowment Fund. This gift will help support our Children’s Prevention, Education, Advocacy, Counselling & Empowerment (PEACE) Camps and interactive Violence is Preventable workshops—offered to local schools. We connected with the student group to learn more about why they choose to support VWTH.
Tell us about why you became involved in the Vital Youth Program?

We all became involved in the program for the amazing experience and opportunity to learn and help our community. The Vital Youth Program is very beneficial and gives young people the power and knowledge to help make changes in Victoria in areas where we feel passionate. Overall it has been a very inspiring and special few months.
 
What inspired you to choose the VWTH?
 
VWTH does amazing work with so many women and families throughout Victoria. Especially through COVID-19, the support was crucial and VWTH was there to provide excellent support for women. The organization’s outstanding work is undeniably deserving of the donation.
 
Why does this cause matter to you?
 
It was important to us to help a charity carrying out such a necessary service and also to educate people, especially younger people, through the Vital Youth Program about domestic violence in our own community. 

Transition House is very grateful to the Oak Bay High students for their time and enthusiasm and inspired by their commitment to youth philanthropy. Click here to watch our thank you message from our PEACE counsellors! A special thank you to Ms. Giesbrecht, who made this spotlight possible.
 
The article has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Update from our Victoria Goddess Run Charity Champion!
VWTH’s Charity Champion, Carolyn (pictured, left) will be running the Victoria Goddess Run in less than two weeks. Recently, we received some fun updates.

The run date is coming closer and I am getting more excited. The last couple of weeks have been great weather for running. In May, I completed the Sarah Beckett Memorial run with my best friend. This run holds a special spot in my heart and running with my best friend who is also an officer makes it just a little more special to me.
Thank you Carolyn for sharing your updates with us, you are an inspiration! Read the Victoria News’s feature article about how Carolyn is tackling all three 2021 Victoria Goddess runs to raise funds for VWTH to support women and children escaping intimate partner violence and abuse.

On June 12, following COVID-19 safety guidelines, VWTH staff will support Carolyn at the “finish line”. To help support Carolyn’s efforts, click here.
Thank You
Peninsula Co-op

A huge thank you to Peninsula Co-op for supporting Victoria Women’s Transition House with a $6000 donation towards our PEACE Camps. Our children’s spring and summer PEACE Camps bring together children and youth who have witnessed abuse at home for an intense experience of fun, whilst learning about the cycle of abuse and the choices they can make to prevent abusing/being abused.
Rise Together

Thank you to Rise Together, a local charity, for dropping off their generous donations at our Community Office a few weeks ago. With donations from Khalsa Aid Canada, Rise Together dropped-off period products, toiletries, hand-picked cosmetics and gift cards. We are so grateful!
Flower Donation

Thank you to Oddfellows Bastion 4 for all the lovely flowers in celebration of Mother’s Day. Bouquets were hand-delivered to by a mother-son duo who helped to make our residents’ day extra special.
Munro's Books

Thank you to Munro’s Books for donating books for our PEACE/Children Who Witness Abuse team and their client families. We are very grateful!
Upcoming
  • June 15 – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
  • June 20 – Father’s Day
  • June 20 – Summer Solstice
  • June 21 – National Indigenous Peoples Day
  • June 28–July 4 – Victoria Pride Week festival
  • July 1 – Canada Day
In Case You Missed It...
Here are some articles that we recently shared via social media:
Victoria Women’s Transition House Society collaborates, advocates and educates to address and prevent intimate partner violence and abuse of women and children through supportive shelter, housing, counselling and other community-based services.

Victoria Women's Transition House Society is a registered charity. 
Our charitable registration number is: 10817 3501 RR0001.
Territory Acknowledgment
It is with much respect to the Lkwungen and SENĆOŦEN speaking peoples of the WSÁNEĆ, Esquimalt, and Songhees Nations, on whose traditional territories the Victoria Women’s Transition House Society is located, that we make this acknowledgment with the expressed shared hope to live in communities free of intimate partner violence.