Calgary women’s shelter served 19,000 people last year, need continues to increase

Domestic violence continues to be a prevalent issue across the country and locally, the need for shelter services continues to climb at an alarming rate.

Two in five Canadian women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime.

It’s a staggering 40 per cent, and according to Kim Ruse with the Calgary-based women’s shelter Fear is Not Love, that number has been steadily climbing since the start of the pandemic.

“During the pandemic, we had increased rates with people stressed and stuck at home and financial pressures — we have not seen that alleviate as the pandemic has started to wind down and we enter a new phase,” she said. “We’ve got new economic pressures and families are organizing themselves differently and so relationships are shifted as well.”

Last year, more than 19,000 people received support from the Calgary shelter and Ruse says the demand isn’t slowing.

She adds there’s a link between the higher cost of living and added tension in households.

“We’re seeing more weapons involved or people reporting that they’re at risk of being harmed with a weapon. We’re seeing financial pressures that were different than they were five years ago, we’re seeing family dynamics that are different than they were five years ago,” the CEO explained. “So when people are calling us for help, they’re not just dealing with domestic violence or abuse, they’re dealing with lots of other pressures as well and other issues as well. So, it’s really complicated and interwoven.”

In 2022, Calgary police answered — on average — 1,600 calls a month related to domestic violence.

They are taking a proactive educational approach and have increased their presence in the community.

In addition to the shelter supporting women and kids fleeing domestic violence, they offer education across 23 Calgary schools, and counselling to men who are looking to make different choices in their relationships.

The shelter heavily relies on community support to keep their doors open.

From now until Oct. 6, Calgarians who visit Shoppers Drug Mart will be given the option at checkout to make a donation to help women and kids fleeing domestic violence.