EMERGENCY SHELTER
La Maison offers emergency accommodation to French-speaking women and their dependents experiencing domestic and family violence.
If you are in immediate danger
NEED HELP
If you are in danger, call 911 or your local police department immediately.
If you cannot speak, lower the volume and do not hang up. The policy will be automatically sent to your home.
If there is no 911 number in your area, check your phone book for the crisis/emergency number.
If you do not want to call the police, call your local crisis center or shelter. You can find these numbers at the top of your area's phone book or call 211 to get the number.
In Toronto, you can call La Maison at
647-777-6433
If you are not in immediate danger
If you are not in immediate danger but are planning to leave, do not hesitate to talk to someone in your trusted circle.
You can also consult a French speaking counselor from the Fem’Aide support line: 1-877-336-2433 (www.femaide.ca)
or speak with a La Maison counselor: 647.777.6433
If you want to leave
If your partner is violent, leaving is your right. If you decide to leave, there are practical, financial, and psychological solutions available. Once you've made the decision to leave, try to prepare your departure as best as you can, because after you leave, it may be difficult to return to the matrimonial home to retrieve any important documents or belongings.
Plan your departure safely to facilitate a more comfortable transition to a new life. To do this, prepare a safety plan with the help of a La Maison counselor or a Fem'aide advisor and learn this plan by heart, in case you need to leave quickly.
To create your safety plan:
You can also consult a French speaking counselor from the Fem’Aide support line: 1-877-336-2433 (www.femaide.ca)
or speak with a La Maison counselor: 647.777.6433
If you cannot leave
If you cannot leave or have hope of changing the situation, remember that the perpetrator of violence must acknowledge that they are in the wrong and need help. Expressing regret and saying they will change does not guarantee that they will. Change will not happen overnight and will likely take a lot of time. During this period, the situation may become violent again. Prepare for this possibility by creating a safety plan and taking measures to protect yourself.
Supporting a Loved One
If you are concerned about someone in your circle, please contact a counselor from the Fem'aide support line:
1-877-336-2433 (www.femaide.ca).
Fem’aide provides French-speaking women facing gender-based violence with support, information, and referrals to appropriate services in their community 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fem’aide can also respond to inquiries from loved ones of women who are victims of violence.
Shelter and support
emporary emergency housing, welcome, listening, confidential support, meals, emergency transportation, security risk management, and planning.
Guidance
Support in legal and administrative procedures, information, guidance, and access to external services and resources, rights advocacy, post-shelter follow-up.
Individual and group activities
Individual and group meetings, thematic and creative workshops for women and their children, recreational and entertainment activities.
