Shelter wait time for Calgary domestic violence victims surpasses 3 months
There's significant demand for Calgary's Discovery House emergency shelter for mothers and children fleeing domestic violence, with some survivors waiting 112 days for access to support.
Discovery House Family Prevention Society says wait times are typically 68 days long in the summer, and the current wait time is nearly double that.
The waitlist has increased by 27 per cent compared to the same time period last year.
The executive director believes this could be a delayed result of the pandemic, as more victims stayed in shared spaces with abusive partners longer and have prolonged trauma to heal from.
"People are staying longer in our shelter and then having trouble moving on because we're having trouble finding them housing in the community they can afford, and so the people who need to come into the space, its taking us longer," said Leslie Hill from Discovery House.
She adds the current housing crisis with the lack of available and affordable housing and other rising costs are also contributing to the growing waitlist.
One client of Discovery House said their wait was over five weeks to access shelter support.
"It was very tense knowing I would be somewhere safe but I didn't know when or how long that would take," said "Lina" whose identity CTV News has agreed to protect for their safety.
Lina says it can be dangerous for others who want to stay at the long-term shelter.
"The extra time between being able to get in can make a lot of difference for people from what they experience in that time, because things can escalate quickly."
Many of those who are seeking shelter are especially vulnerable, with 52 per cent of those who arrived at the shelter in 2021 stating they were at severe or extreme risk of homicide.
As well, Statistics Canada has reported an increase in police-reported incidents of intimate partner violence for the fifth consecutive year.
With the increase in demand, Discovery House is asking for donations during its month-long campaign to "help provide better access to long-term housing supports, counselling, financial aids, and more by participating in the "Discovery House Gift of Hope campaign."
Hill also says increased rental and affordable living spaces would also go a long way to help alleviate the pressure.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.