Transition Home Survey

Northwest Territories

The 1999-2000 Transition Home Survey is conducted on a biennial basis as part of the federal government’s Family Violence Initiative. The questionnaire was sent to 508 shelters in Canada known to be providing residential services for women victims of abuse and their children. Responses were received from 467 shelters (92%).

The questionnaire was sent to 7 facilities in the Northwest Territories and responses were received from 100% of the shelters.

• There were 954 admissions of women and dependent children reported from April 1, 1999 to March 31, 2000.¹

A Profile of Residents, April 17, 2000

• In a snapshot taken on April 17, 2000, there were 53 residents in shelters in the Northwest Territories: 49% were women and 51% were dependent children.

• All of the women (26) residing in shelters on April 17, 2000 were victims of abuse. Of those admitted for abuse,² 65% were fleeing physical abuse and 46% psychological abuse.

• 54% of women escaping abusive situations were admitted with their children; 68% (15) of these children were under 10 years of age.

• 69% of abused women indicated that their spouse or partner was the abuser, 23% of women were abused by a former spouse or partner or a current or ex-boyfriend, 8% by others (e.g., friend, acquaintance, or relationship was unknown) and 4% were abused by a relative.

• 19% of abused women had reported police intervention for the most recent violent incident to police and, in 40% of these reported cases, charges were laid against the abuser.

• On April 17, 2000, 5 shelters reported that they had received 39 requests for various services (housing, non-housing and other) from non-residents and ex-residents.

A Profile of Shelters, 1999-2000

• The majority of shelters offered the following in-house services to women residents: advocacy (100%), housing referral (100%), individual short-term counselling (86%), parenting skills (86%), group counselling (71%), and financial assistance or welfare (71%) and culturally sensitive services for Aboriginal women (57%).

• Facilities also provided in-house services to women who are non-residents in need of assistance. These services included advocacy (71%), crisis telephone line (71%), individual short-term counselling (57%), life skills (57%), and culturally sensitive services for Aboriginal women (43%). In-house services available to women ex-residents included, advocacy (71%), crisis telephone line (71%), housing referral (71%), financial assistance or welfare (71%), individual short-term counselling (57%), and life skills (57%).

• In-house services offered to resident children included indoor and outdoor recreational spaces (86%), individual counselling (57%), group counselling (57%), and culturally sensitive services for Aboriginal children (43%).

• A majority (43%) of reporting facilities are completely or partially wheelchair accessible.

• Facilities reported providing an average of 12 outreach³ hours per week.

For further information, please contact the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics at (613) 951-9023, toll-free at 1 800 387-2231 or e-mail: ccjsccsj@statcan.gc.ca.