HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – May 1, 2024: The Transition House Association of Nova Scotia (THANS) has secured funding from Canada’s Federal Department of Justice’s Victims and Survivors of Crime Week Fund to host a community event in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Our event, titled The Power of Collaboration, aligns with this year’s theme.
This event will provide a space for networking, education, and the exchange of knowledge between service providers in the gender-based violence sector, housing sector, and provincial government in Nova Scotia. Our goal is to break down silos between sectors and enhance our province’s collective ability to provide a continuum of support to victims and survivors of gender-based violence by learning more about the various services and supports offered across the province.
Registration is required to accommodate dietary and accessibility requirements. To register for this event, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/BafbzQhow9Q4ENTk6
Event information:
- Date: Friday, May 17th 2024
- Time: 1:00 PM-4:oo PM
- Location: Halifax Convention Centre—Argyle Level (The space is accessible and Rainbow Certified. All activities will be taking place on one level!).
The lack of safe and affordable housing is particularly devastating for women and children fleeing violence. For women and their families, violence is both a cause and a consequence of homelessness. Addressing the root causes of violence and the barriers to living a life free from violence and abuse requires collaboration between the gender-based violence sector, the housing sector, and our provincial government. The need for enhanced services and support for victims and survivors of gender-based violence is great in Nova Scotia.
According to the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, Nova Scotia rates of police-reported domestic violence remain higher than the national rate. Of those cases that are reported to police, women continue to be the predominant victims (79% as of 2022). Furthermore, according to the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia (AHANS), almost half of those currently homeless in the Halifax Regional Municipality are women. The link between these statistics are clear, as research has shown that the most common cause of homelessness for women and their families is family violence. While these statistics are able to offer a glimpse into the current conditions in our province, we can surmise that the need is even greater, as many cases of violence go unreported, and women are more likely to experience hidden forms of homelessness, such as couch surfing and exchanging sex for housing.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week aims to raise awareness about the issues facing victims and survivors and to learn more about the services, assistance, and laws in place to help them and their families. This event aligns with this overarching goal by service providers in the gender-based violence and housing sectors to engage in a dialogue and exchange knowledge on the issues impacting those experiencing violence and to learn more about what services and supports are available to them.