Adrianna Autio
Gender-based violence (GBV) includes physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, spiritual, and financial abuse, targeting people because of their gender, gender orientation, gender identity, sexual identity, sexual orientation, or a combination of all of these. GBV takes on many forms, including family violence, meaning violence between family members, domestic violence, and intimate partner violence (IPV). In 2022, Statistics Canada reported 127,000 IPV victims reported to police; however, this number reflects only those who reported. This number is much lower than the total number of victims and survivors of IPV, as many cases go underreported for many reasons, such as concern for safety, not wanting to harm the perpetrator, and forced dependency on the perpetrator; there may also be fear of victim blaming, not being believed, or facing harm and risk to their safety or that of their children when seeking help.
Leaving an abusive situation is never simple. Survivors may face immediate safety risks and many barriers, such as financial dependency, housing insecurity, child custody worries, and their own personal safety. Many victims escaping violence have often been isolated and therefore are without a support system, which can make seeking help and safety extremely intimidating and impossible to achieve. Many people experience what is called “hidden homelessness”, staying with friends or in unstable places instead of formal shelters (Rodrigue, 2016). Real safety and the chance to start again require much more than just leaving. At the same time, this is the first step and incredibly hard, as it takes 6 times as long for someone to escape successfully, and escaping is the most dangerous point in an abusive relationship. (LCSW, 2022) Survivors need stable housing, financial independence, and support from people who understand trauma and the impacts it leaves in people's lives.
For many fleeing immediate danger, emergency shelters can be a vital first step, providing a safe place to sleep, be heard, and breathe. Shelters do far more than provide a bed for the night; they offer safety planning, trauma-informed counselling, and help with connecting with community resources. Unfortunately, the need for safe shelters exceeds what is currently available. Across Canada, 19% of women and children seeking emergency shelters are turned away simply because there isn't enough space (Statistics Canada, 2019). When someone is turned away, they may have no other choice but to return to the very thing they were escaping, or to stay somewhere else that may not be considered safe, whether that be with strangers or places that are unsafe or feel unsafe.
The scale of this problem is significant: in a single year, Alberta shelters provided beds for over 8,000 people, but 32,000 were turned away due to a lack of space. (Alberta Council of Women's Shelters, 2025). Each statistic represents an individual who showed immense bravery in reaching out for help, only to face an insurmountable barrier. These figures underscore the urgent need for expanded resources, sustained support, and genuine compassion to ensure no survivor is turned away in their moment of need.
However, not all emergency shelters are accessible to everyone who needs them. Most shelters are designed for women and young children, creating very limited options for men, larger families, or older adolescents. It also excludes those with disabilities, as they often can not access shelters because they may not be set up to meet accommodation requirements or needs. 2SLGBTQI+ and gender-diverse individuals may also face barriers to accessing shelters; they may be turned away or end up in a shelter that feels unsafe and unwelcoming because of their gender identity or expression (Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, 2022; WAGE, 2022). Many shelters do not accept pets or people with complex mental health or physical health needs; there may also be strict substance abuse policies in place that can prevent some survivors from staying. When these barriers exist, survivors may feel as though they have no safe place to turn to.
New Shelter models, such as decentralized and mobile crisis shelters, can help reach underserved communities, including rural areas. Legislative changes should guarantee survivors' right to immediate safe shelter and incentivize shelter upgrades to meet accessibility and cultural safety standards. Policies must also support pilot programs for flexible stay durations, pet-friendly spaces, and partnerships with housing providers to streamline transitions. Only through targeted investments, new approaches, and a firm legislative commitment can we close the gap between survivors’ needs and real-life supports.
Long-term recovery means moving through different housing options and community resources. Starting with short-term emergency shelters is a great first step; survivors and victims can then move to second-stage transitional housing (6-24 months), and then to long-term independent living, whether through renting or social housing. When survivors are ready to leave crisis facilities but cannot afford rentals or subsidized housing, they end up staying in the shelters much longer, creating a bottleneck within the system and limiting space for others in urgent need. (Shelter Capacity Report 2025, n.d.) Research shows that combining advocacy after shelter stays leads to better mental health, less re-victimization, and more stable housing for survivors (Andermann et al., 2021).
Transitioning to stable housing involves systemic, market, and practical barriers. In the tight private housing market, landlords can be very strict and often turn people away with low income, gaps in employment, or poor credit scores caused by financial abuse. (CMHC, 2023) Rural and remote areas especially lack emergency housing, public transport, and specialized support for marginalized populations such as indigenous, racialized, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals; discrimination and a lack of culturally safe care cause major problems (WAGE 2022). Survivors also face challenges such as paperwork, the risk of losing ID documents, being digitally tracked by their abusers, and issues with pets.
One way that we bridge the gap between emergency help and long-term independent living is through targeted financial support when needed. The Housing Benefit for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence, which is a part of the Canada-Alberta Housing Benefit Agreement, offers portable rent supplements for eligible Albertans who are survivors or victims of GBV (Government of Alberta, n.d.). Survivors can receive up to 7,200peryear(600 per month) for private market rent, with no maximum income limits. The program focuses on the most vulnerable groups, including indigenous folks, gender-diverse individuals, and families with dependents, such as children under the age of 18. This rent subsidy lets survivors move away from their abuser without losing their benefit. However, the program faces challenges such as long processing times, low vacancy rates, rising housing costs across the province, and budget cuts, since these programs are funded by the government.
Addressing these systemic barriers is critical to enhancing program effectiveness. Streamlining application processes, adjusting benefit amounts to reflect current rental market conditions, and providing navigation assistance can improve access for high-need populations navigating housing transitions.
Ultimately, ending the cycle of violence demands more than streamlined logistics; it requires honouring the profound strength and resilience of every survivor. Behind each statistic is an individual navigating unimaginable hardship, whose journey toward safety relies on trauma-informed care rooted in dignity, patience, and compassion. Seamless collaboration among emergency shelters, housing providers, legal aid, and health services is not merely an administrative goal; it is a moral imperative to ensure no survivor is re-traumatized by the very systems designed to protect them. By integrating shared referral pathways, secure technology, and person-centred support, we fulfill our collective responsibility to bridge the gap between immediate crisis and long-term, sustainable healing, ensuring every individual has a safe place to rebuild their life.
Achieving true safety, dignity, and independence for survivors of GBV necessitates a comprehensive, multifaceted approach. While emergency shelters serve as a crucial lifeline in acute crises, sustainable long-term recovery depends on access to stable, affordable housing paired with compassionate, trauma-informed community support. Empirical evidence shows that portable rent supplements, combined with wraparound advocacy, significantly improve mental health and housing stability for affected families (Andermann et al., 2021). Streamlining administrative pathways and leveraging modern digital tools can further enhance service delivery, reducing systemic delays and ensuring resources flow efficiently to those in need. (Cu, 2025) To evaluate these efforts and justify continued investment, tracking meaningful progress indicators, such as decreased shelter turnaway figures, the proportion of individuals transitioning to permanent housing within specified timeframes, long-term housing retention, and overall survivor satisfaction, is essential. Furthermore, monitoring average application processing timelines, the availability of culturally safe and accessible facilities across diverse regions, and rates of repeat shelter utilization will maintain accountability and inform ongoing system enhancements. (Nowhere to Go: Gender-Based Violence and Housing Insecurity in Ontario, n.d.) Ultimately, bridging the gap between emergency crisis response and long-term stability requires sound policy, collaborative support networks, and an unwavering dedication to measurable outcomes, paving the way for survivors to rebuild safe, self-sufficient lives.
References
Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters. (2025, April 7). Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters releases 2023–24 Shelter Impact Report: Strength in support, advocacy, and action. https://acws.ca/news/alberta-council-of-womens-shelters-releases-2023-24-shelter-impact-report/
Andermann, A., Mott, S., Mathew, C. M., Kendall, C., Mendonca, O., Harriott, D., McLellan, A., Riddle, A., Saad, A., Iqbal, W., Magwood, O., & Pottie, K. (2021). Evidence-informed interventions and best practices for supporting women experiencing or at risk of homelessness: A scoping review with gender and equity analysis. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada, 41(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.41.1.01
Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. (2022). Hidden Homelessness in Canada. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2016001/article/14678-eng.htm
CMHC. (2023). Nowhere to Go: Gender-Based Violence and Housing Insecurity in Ontario. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/nhs/nhs-project-profiles/2023-nhs-projects/nowhere-go-gender-based-violence-housing-insecurity-ontario
Cu, M. (2025). Digital Transformation of Housing Help Services: A Nonprofit Case Study in Toronto. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.25401.28004
Government of Alberta. (n.d.). Housing supports for survivors of gender-based violence. https://www.alberta.ca/housing-supports-for-survivors-of-gender-based-violence
LCSW, K. G. (July 7, 2022). The Most Common Fears About Leaving an Unsafe Relationship. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/invisible-bruises/202207/the-most-common-fears-about-leaving-an-unsafe-relationship
Nowhere to Go: Gender-Based Violence and Housing Insecurity in Ontario. (n.d.). https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/nhs/nhs-project-profiles/2023-nhs-projects/nowhere-go-gender-based-violence-housing-insecurity-ontario
Rodrigue, S. (2016). Hidden Homelessness in Canada. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2016001/article/14678-eng.htm
Shelter Capacity Report 2025. (n.d.). https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/homelessness-sans-abri/reports-rapports/shelter-cap-hebergement-2025-eng.html
Statistics Canada. (2019). Survey of Emergency Shelters in Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/191009/dq191009c-eng.htm
WAGE (Women and Gender Equality Canada). (2022). The first National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/gender-based-violence/intergovernmental-collaboration/national-action-plan-end-gender-based-violence/first-national-action-plan-end-gender-based-violence.html