Press Releases & Statements

Recent Press Releases & Statements

New National Report Shows Effect of Housing Crisis on Women and Children Fleeing Violence

25 November 2024

Ottawa, 25 November 2024 – Today, Women’s Shelters Canada (WSC) released Shelter Voices 2024: Crisis Within Crisis. This issue of Shelter Voices, funded by The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, was designed to contribute to a better understanding of the housing crisis and its impact on shelters/THs, including individuals working in these spaces and survivors accessing supports. Among […]

Introducing the New Executive Director of Women’s Shelters Canada

11 July 2024

July 11, 2024 – Women’s Shelters Canada (WSC) is pleased to announce that our new Executive Director is Anuradha Dugal. Anuradha is a powerhouse in the gender-based violence sector and a longtime friend of WSC. Anuradha has over 25 years of experience working to support women, children, and gender-diverse people fleeing violence. Anuradha comes to […]

WSC Releases Two Reports Showing Prevalence of Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence  

5 June 2024

5 June 2024 – Today, Women’s Shelters Canada’s (WSC) Tech Safety Canada Project released two reports on the impact and prevalence of tech-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV). Across Canada, technology is being misused by perpetrators to harm women, girls, and gender-diverse people. Insights Into Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence: A Survey of Women’s Shelter and Transition House Workers […]

Joint Open Letter to Canadian Banks

7 May 2024

7 May 2024 – Today, Women’s Shelters Canada issued an open letter with the Canadian Center for Women’s Empowerment to Canadian banks: Recent events have highlighted the pressing issue of e-transfers being misused to perpetrate domestic violence. Women’s Shelters Canada (WSC) and the Canadian Center for Women’s Empowerment (CCFWE) urge you to take action to […]

Women’s Shelters Canada launches Crickets, a collective initiative to call out online sexism

8 March 2024

Nearly 4 out of 5 men in Canada are not always comfortable confronting sexist comments and jokes on social media  Montreal, Friday, March 8, 2024 – Women’s Shelters Canada, a charitable organization that supports shelters that accommodate women and their children fleeing violence, is proud to launch today, on International Women’s Day, the “Crickets” initiative […]

Feminist Brain Drain Final Report Launches

7 March 2024

Today, Women’s Shelters Canada released a new report examining the violence against women (VAW) shelter and transition house sector in Canada. The report, Feminist Brain Drain: Labour Issues and Worker Wellness in the VAW Shelter Sector, provides information on: the scope of the labour crisis; elements that contribute to staff retention or turnover; recruitment; systemic […]

Canadian Feminist Organizations Respond to Anti-Trans Comments: Anti-Trans is Anti-Women

22 February 2024

On February 21st, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre shared his support for banning transgender women from women’s spaces, services, and shelters. Feminist and women-serving organizations recognize that any attack on the rights of transgender people is an attack on gender equity and women’s rights. In 2021, feminist and women-serving organizations across Canada signed a joint […]

WSC’s Executive Director Lise Martin Retiring in Spring 2024

5 December 2023

Dear colleagues and friends, I am writing to share what is, for me, HUGE news. I will be retiring at the end of April 2024. It has been an incredible honour and privilege to have dedicated my career to gender justice. My career spans 37 years, of which 25 were spent leading national women’s organizations […]

Feminist Organizations Joint Appeal for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza

17 November 2023

17 November 2023 Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2 Subject: Feminist Organizations Joint Appeal for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, We, the undersigned, a coalition of feminist, gender justice, and human rights organizations, come together to add our […]

Reflections on the First Year of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence

9 November 2023

9 November 2023 – The National Action Plan (NAP) to End Gender-based Violence (GBV) was launched on November 9, 2022 by Women and Gender Equality Canada. On the one-year anniversary, the following represents what gender justice organizations know to date, concerns that remain, and recommendations to move forward collectively with government. What we know: The […]