Yolanda (not her real name) came to Canada with her husband and six-year old son.  She had faced problems in her marriage while in her country of origin, which resulted in emotional and physical abuse.  She had hoped that once in Canada, the violence would stop as she felt that, indeed, Canadian laws would not allow this abuse.

Unfortunately, the abuse in the home continued and worsened during the pandemic.

Yolanda state that she was very stressed, overwhelmed and also scared to face the situation alone.  She felt helpless and did not know what to do until one day, while grocery shopping, she confided in a neighbour out of desperation.  Her neighbour told her about IWSO and reassured Yolanda that she had also received similar services from IWSO.  Yolanda called IWSO almost immediately for support.  Later, she stated, “I was so grateful to speak with someone who listened to me, who understood and who was non-judgmental.  I felt safe, and for the first time, I felt hopeful I would get out of this terrible situation.”

Yolanda received safety planning, and because she did not feel safe staying in her home, she was referred to a first-stage shelter for women fleeing violence.  She moved to the shelter with her son to stay safe.  She was referred to a family and immigration lawyer who provided information on her rights, custody issues and immigration implications.

Through the support from the Transitional Housing Support worker, Yolanda was able to eventually get affordable housing where she now lives in safety with her son.

Yolanda continued to receive support from IWSO and is now more confident in herself and is pursuing her goals.  She works part-time in a coffee shop and aspires to become a personal support worker in a year or two.

“Thank you, IWSO for helping me to overcome the darkness in my life and to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”