Domestic and Family Violence

About Domestic and Family Violence

Domestic and Family Violence

Domestic violence is identified as violence in intimate relationships, including those between the opposite-sex and same-sex partners.

Relationships vary in duration and legal formality and encompass current and former dating partners, common-law, and married couples. Although both women and men can be victims of domestic violence, the overwhelming majority of domestic violence involves men abusing women.

Domestic violence crimes are often committed in a context where there is a pattern of assaultive and controlling behaviour. This violence can involve physical assault, and emotional, psychological, and sexual abuse. It can also include threats to harm past or present partners, children, other family members, pets, and property. Violence is used to intimidate, humiliate, or frighten victims, or to make them feel powerless. Domestic violence may include a single act of abuse or several acts, which may appear minor or trivial when viewed in isolation, but collectively form a pattern that amounts to abuse.

Family violence is defined as any form of abuse or neglect that a child or adult experiences from a family member, or from someone with whom they have an intimate relationship.43 Exposure to violence and experiences of abuse can lead to poor physical and mental health outcomes and potentially lead to injury or even death. An intersection of individual, family, community, and societal factors can influence whether an individual experiences family violence.

For example, a history of child abuse or neglect, substance use, family conflict, poverty, and gender norms can all contribute to the risk of family violence.

Domestic and Family Violence Supports

Cyber Tip

Canada’s tipline to report the online sexual exploitation of children and youth.

1-866-658-9022

DAP (Direct Accountability Program)

An alternative to formal prosecution for adult individuals charged with eligible criminal offences who have been referred by the Courts.

519-524-6702

Elder Abuse Prevention Committee Huron-Perth

Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario (EAPO) is recognized as the provincial organization leading elder abuse prevention in Ontario. Their mission is to create an Ontario that is free from abuse for all seniors. We provide support to seniors affected by abuse, foster public awareness, deliver training, and community building.

519-271-2217

Huron DART - Domestic Assault Review Team

Huron DART (Domestic Assault Review Team)

The Huron Domestic Assault Review Team is a cross-sector committee which works together to improve community response to victims of domestic and sexual violence. The website has learning tools and resources to support service providers and the general public.

Huron Perth Public Health

Huron Perth Public Health offers confidential sexual health clinics where individuals can access sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, low-cost birth control, emergency contraception (morning after pills) and more.

Text Huron: 519-440-1439 Or call: 1-888-221-2133 x2406

Huron Safe Homes for Youth

Huron Safe Homes for Youth is a voluntary, confidential service for youth (age sixteen to their eighteenth birthday) and their families/caregivers in Huron County. There is no cost to individuals accessing this service. Services include crisis intervention and support services, mediation (youth and parents/caregiver conflict), temporary shelter and planning assistance.

1-800-361-1640

Love is Respect

Need serious help right now? Sometimes things in a relationship can get pretty heavy. If you need to talk to someone right now, someone who’s trained to help, love is respect is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All calls and chats are anonymous and confidential.

Also provides information on healthy relationships.

1-866-331-9474
Text: LOVEIS to 22522

Need Help Now

If you or someone you know has been effected by a sexual picture being shared online, Need Help Now will support you and help remove the picture from the internet. They will also provide assistance with cyberbullying and online safety.

Partner Assault Response (PAR) Programs – John Howard Society

The PAR Program is a Domestic Violence Court initiative. The PAR Program is a 12-session group intervention that provides participants with an opportunity to examine their beliefs and attitudes towards domestic violence and learn non-abusive ways of resolving conflict within a relationship.

The program also assists victims/partners by reducing their isolation and providing information that will help them to make informed decisions about their safety and their relationship.

226-219-6421

Pflag Canada

Canada’s only national organization that offers peer to peer support for people experiencing issues surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity.

Renascence (Huron-Perth Centre for Children and Youth)

Renascence offers information, referrals and supportive counselling services for women who have been victims of abuse either in childhood or their intimate relationships. Individual and group services, telephone outreach and educational sessions promote healing and support healthy relationships.

Clinton: 519-482-3931
Listowel: 519-291-1088
Stratford:  519-273-3373

Rural Response for Healthy Children

A charitable organization serving Huron Perth whose work supports the well-being of families, helping children and youth in our community thrive. This includes providing programs and services that families need to create a positive environment for their children, such as positive parenting education, peer support groups, support for families experiencing conditions of risk, and healthy living programs.

1-226-699-0707

Supervised Access Visitation and Exchange Program Huron-Perth (Parenting Time Program)

Program that helps ease the possible tension of access arrangements for children and for either decision making parents and parenting time parents or other relatives. Providing factual reports during contacts, supervised family exchanges, supervised family visits and virtual visitation.

1-888-826-8117

Teen Health Source

A Toronto based group that provides accurate sexual health and dating advice. Find self-assessment quizzes and other materials here.

Text: 647-933-5399
Phone: 416-961-3200
Email: [email protected]

Teen Talk

An online source with facts and information about healthy relationships.

That’s Not Cool

A group that wants to lower the risks of online dating violence for teens. Find information about healthy relationships online and offline here.

Victim Services Huron Perth

Victim Services Huron Perth is dedicated to providing short term emotional support, practical assistance and community referrals to victims of crime, trauma and tragic circumstance in partnership with community and emergency services. Services include emergency exiting planning and public education.

519-600-4108

Victim Witness Assistance Program

The Victim/Witness Assistance Program is a court-based program that provides information, help and support to victims and witnesses of crime so they can understand and participate in the criminal court process. A victim/witness service worker will talk with you and assist you based on your specific case and needs.

 1-866-226-0896
519-524-4085
Crisis: 1-888-579-2888

Women’s Shelter (Goderich) and Second Stage Housing (Clinton, Goderich, Exeter)

Offering counselling and support programs for women, children and youth including Sexual Assault Counselling and Family Court Support.

Also offers emergency residence for women and their children who need shelter because they are being physically, sexually, psychologically, emotionally or financially abused.

1-800-265-5506 (24 hour Support and Information Line)

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