Our Mission

Our logo's colors represent:

Red * Strength, Power

Green * Health, Renewal

Purple * Stability, Spiritually

Yellow * Hope, Happiness

WomenAWARE/FemmesAVERTIES is a non-profit, community-based organization whose mission is to support those who have been or are living with domestic violence in their lives

Our services and objectives clearly focus on services that aid women and children living with this crime.

These include:

- Information and training sessions for women who are victims of domestic violence.

- Individual and group support on self-help and integration of new life skills, i.e.: job readiness, preparation of a curriculum vitae, safe housing, and preventive measures upon returning home.

- Semi public and public forums, group training, information, counselling and referral services

- Access to legal information and psychosocial counselling

- A court accompaniment service

- Toll free support line

- Self-help and support groups for survivors and victims of violence

- Emergency food and clothing assistance

- Gazette fund assistance

Beyond direct support services, Femmes Averties/Women Aware educates the public about women’s issues such as the Housing Committee and acts as a catalyst for change.

Femmes Averties / Women Aware played a vital role in creating the Conjugal Violence Housing Committee to initiate legislation change that would allow a victim of domestic violence to cancel their rental lease.This law passed in the Quebec National Assembly this past December 2005 and came into effect April 2006. (Civil code 1974.1)

Our vision is that as women become aware of what is available to them and that they are not alone, a clearer picture of a better life takes shape for them and their children so the picture goes from:

Silence to Communication

Despair to Hope

Isolation to Community & a Support Network

Fear to courage

Shame to pride

Victim to survivor

Survivor to mentor

About Women Aware / Femmes Averties

Aware is a support service created by survivors of domestic violence, whose mission is to reach out to victims of domestic violence, while also educating the general public,government officials and the justice system, and on the mutilayered issues of domestic violence.

As survivors of domestic violence, these women recognized a gap in service provision and made it their mission to mentor and provide victims of domestic violence, with first hand personal testimonies of survival and practical strategies for taking the initiative in escaping an abusive relationship.

Aware has advocated and educated with positive results for changes in housing law affecting survivors of domestic violence, and longer sentencing terms for domestic violence offenders. We have successfully been able to educate and clearly demonstrate to justice officials how abusers can use the justice system as a vehicle to continue the abuse and victimization via very demanding and challenging and arduous litigation