Women, children turned away from shelters in Canada almost 19,000 times a month

A CBC News analysis reveals that in November 2019, an average of 620 women and children a day were turned away from domestic violence shelters across Canada. That's nearly 19,000 times a month, if November was typical.

The true number is likely much higher.  Shelter workers in several locations told CBC that in fact numbers are lower in November, because women are reluctant to leave their families as the holiday season nears. 

CBC's data is also incomplete. CBC reporters heard back from just over half the 527 shelters we identified, meaning this figure does not include the people turned away from about 220 shelters.In more than 80 per cent of cases, people were turned away because the shelter was full.

Not only is the number of people turned away each day in the hundreds, it is also growing. Statistics Canada figures show the number increased 69 per cent from 539 in 2014 to 911 in 2018, based on data from all of the shelters in the country.

Lise Martin, executive director of Women's Shelters Canada, says a nationally coordinated approach is needed to help women and children fleeing domestic violence. ( Mathieu Theriault/CBC)Calling a shelter for help is a big decision, and having to turn away women and children who are in danger has serious consequences, said Lise Martin, executive director of Women's Shelters Canada.It may mean someone with nowhere else to go is forced to live with their abuser longer.

In a CBC report on March 5, 2020, Journalist Tara Carman investigates. When abuse victims try to leave, there’s often nowhere to go.

Tara Carman’s report here:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/womens-shelters-turned-away-domestic-violence-1.5483186?fbclid=IwAR2rY38Ebs38CG62Lpiq-idRxjsKnOle17vfkGIfB_tZXEa3PuJge14DrKE