The Rural Voice, 1987-09, Page 25Janet Joldspink was instrumental
in the opening of Women's House.
organization with a volunteer board of
directors, are free. Funding comes
from four sources: the Ministry of
Community and Social Services, Grey
and Bruce county per diem rates,
"purchase of counselling" money from
Bruce County (based on a per bed/per
year usage — the house has a budget
based on 10 beds), and funds raised by
the house and community. The money
raised by the house through the com-
munity — $20,000 annually (which
represents the 20 per cent the house
must raise in accordance with a cost -
share agreement with the ministry) —
comes from raffles, concerts, and
individual and group donations. The
centre also receives donations of
household goods. "We have a lot of
good community support," Kidd notes.
Essentially, the house provides, in
addition to its other services, "a safe,
supportive, and temporary setting for
women and their children," Kidd says.
Women make contact through the
local line — 396-9655 — or by
calling toll-free (which doesn't show
up on the telephone bill) — 1-800-
265-3026. The services are confiden-
tial, and women are asked not to tell
"I waited. I waited until
he stopped ... I could see
that he had no control.
When I looked into his
eyes they were red. He
was somewhere else."
— an abused woman's
account of her experiences
their spouses (or boyfriends) where
they are. The door is kept locked, but
is open to clients 24 hours a day, 7
days a week.
Staff are trained to be non-judge-
mental. "We don't tell a woman what
to do," Kidd says. If a woman wants
to return to a potentially abusive
situation, staff make a safety plan for
her, and she is always welcome to
return. The centre offers informal
counselling, referrals to legal aid or
social services, assistance in finding
accommodation, and a child-care
program. Women may also get a one-
hour meeting with a lawyer. In
conjunction with the Grey -Bruce
Women's Centre in Owen Sound, the
Women's House has a transportation
"From not feeling
anything, I started to
feel a lot of pain."
"I was in a desert with
no sun. That's how I felt."
— an abused woman's
account of her experiences
service for women who need rides
to the house or to court appearances.
In a 14 -month period, 15 volunteer
drivers (all volunteers receive five
weeks of training) have covered
30,740 kilometres on 260 drives. '
The house has four counsellors,
a child-care worker, a volunteer co-
ordinator, a homemaker, a half-time
clerical assistant, a half-time coun-
sellor, five relief workers, and a
number of volunteers.
While the focus of the centre is
"women helping women," men are
also welcome to call for information.
While Kidd acknowledges that men
are often under a great deal of pres-
sure, particularly in rural areas where
"I felt I had no one to
turn to. I was wrong.
But my isolation was
quite complete at
that time."
— an abused woman's
account of her experiences
the financial situation on many farms
has been grim, she adds that, statis-
tically, the overwhelming majority of
abuse victims are women. For those
men who have a problem with wife or
child abuse, Kidd adds, there are
places to turn to for help. One of
these is organized by the Grey -Bruce
Regional Health Centre, another by
the Group Delta Against Family
Violence in Clinton.
The root of the problem is in
attitudes, attitudes toward women and
attitudes toward the acceptability of
family violence. Until such time as
education and awareness are honed to
the point where women are regarded
as equal, where abuse is seen as a
crime, and where the cycle of family
violence is stopped, women will be
welcomed at Women's House and
provided not only with shelter, food,
and clothing, but warmth and
continuing support.OLise Gunby
Women's House serves Huron,
Grey, and Bruce in association with
the Women's Centre in Owen Sound
(371-1600 or 1-800-265-3722) and the
Survival Through Friendship House in
Goderich (524-6245 or 1-800-265-
5506). In Perth County, Optimism
Place in Stratford can be reached at
271-5550 or 1-800-265-8598. There
are more than 80 houses in Ontario.
Staff member Patt Lowry (left).
SEPTEMBER 1987 23