a guide to supporting children exposed to domestic violence

may be multicultural programs, and resources for Aboriginal women and women
with disabilities. Ask Victim Link for the numbers to call.
IN SMALLER COMMUNITIES:
• Your nearest transition house is the best place to get information and support.
Some take crisis calls on a 24-hour basis.
• The local community health nurse may also be helpful.
• You may get help from your family doctor, First Nations band counsellor, priest
or other spiritual leader. But if they don’t believe you or seem critical or
judgmental, avoid them.
• If you have access to a computer and Internet service, you can get lots of
helpful information. Local libraries often have computers with Internet service
available free of charge.
IN VERY SMALL ISOLATED COMMUNITIES:
• Contact your local transition house if possible. Rural transition houses try to
provide information and support to isolated women and act as a safety net. Ask
staff to help you make a safety plan for you and your children.
• Try to arrange for family and friends to check up on you.
• Reach out to police, probation or victim service workers when they visit the
community.
• Your children’s school may be a contact point.
Getting help from a
Children Who Witness Abuse program
Contact with other children who have been exposed to violence in the home and
with experienced counsellors may make a great deal of difference.
Children Who Witness Abuse (CWWA) is a program that operates in many
communities throughout BC. You can get information about the program from your
local transition house or by calling the BC/Yukon Society of Transition Houses.
Telephone: 604-669-6943; 1-800-661-1040 (toll free)
E-mail: cwwa@bcysth.ca
In the CWWA program, a counsellor will interview you and the children. After the
interview, children may join a group of other children in the same age range, or
may have one-to-one counselling.
HELPING MY CHILD A GUIDE TO SUPPORTING CHILDREN EXPOSED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 45