“It’s safer for the victims to text us or chat with us. It’s more discreet and they can even do it in the middle of the night.”
Unfortunately, home is not a safe place for everyone.
For some women and children, COVID-19 restrictions have limited relief from the threat of abuse. More time at home and the barring of gatherings at traditional meeting places has made for fewer opportunities for those in need to connect with friends, family, or services that can provide support.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Dennise Taylor-Gilhen, Vice President of Community Impact at United Way East Ontario, highlighted the many challenges that vulnerable women may face through COVID-19.
“Women who need help are finding it difficult to reach out, to leave those unsafe homes, and to find a sense of security for their families,” she said.
In the winter months, the safety of those experiencing violence at home continues to be top of mind.
Thanks to our partnership with Unsafe at Home Prescott-Russell, more people experiencing violence at home can find comfort in knowing that there’s somewhere for them to turn. No matter what time or day, they can connect with someone who is ready to support and help them.
Simple tasks like running errands, going out for coffee, or even school drop-offs are the alone time victims use to reach out for help. With the restriction on social interactions during the pandemic, many women don’t have the time or private space to alert anyone about the danger they may be in. That’s where Unsafe at Home Prescott-Russell comes in.
Unsafe at Home is a secure and bilingual text and online chat support for women and members of LGBTQ2S+ communities in Ottawa, Lanark County—and now, Prescott-Russell—who may be living through increased violence and abuse at home during COVID-19.
“If we didn’t get the funding from the United Way, we wouldn’t have been able to start the program.”
Supporting the most vulnerable people
The social challenges people face on a regular basis have not gone away during the pandemic. As days pass, we are increasingly worried about the most vulnerable people, whose day-to-day struggles become more and more difficult and who are steadily at greater risk throughout this crisis.
Thanks to partners like Unsafe at Home and support from our donors, United Way East Ontario ensures women and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community who are not safe in their homes have the tools to reach out and get the help they need.
Our communities are better when we work together—help is just a text away.
Ensure people facing violence can access the support they need.
