All of our services are completely free to access.  

Gillian’s Place provides safe shelter and services to those affected by gender-based violence, aged 16 and older. 

Abuse can happen in any relationship regardless of gender. If you are a woman or gender- and sexually diverse indvidual experiencing abuse, we can help you.

No. Abuse can take many forms, and often starts with emotional or psychological abuse before becoming physical. Our support line is also open to anyone who might be looking for advice on how to help a loved one. 

Yes. There are many types of abuse and they can all have a long-lasting impact on you and your children. 

Yes. Call our support line any time, day or night for immediate support. Our counsellors will assess your situation and provide the appropriate referrals to service. Providing shelter is only one of our services. 

Whether you are with the same partner or a new one, we are always here for you.

Gillian’s Place staff are here to support all women and gender-and sexually diverse individuals who have experienced gender-based violence and understand that individuals who have experienced violence are at a higher risk for substance abuse and also face increased vulnerability to violence. If you choose to use drugs or alcohol, this decision will not alter our commitment to helping and supporting you as long as your behaviours do not create a safety risk for yourself or our other clients. Our shelter uses a “Harm Reduction” model of service aimed at reducing the negative consequences associated with drug abuse. If you would like to reduce or stop your drug use, we have a worker from Community Addiction Services of Niagara (CASON) on-site once per week to provide support, and we are also able to connect you with other community agencies to provide you with service and support. 

Individuals experiencing gender-based violence or abuse experience mental health issues at a much higher rate than the general population. A history of mental illness will not stop you from receiving support.

Our shelter is fully accessible. We encourage you to share information regarding accommodations you may require while accessing our shelter or outreach programs. We are also able to connect you with other community resources if additional assistance is required.

Yes. We can get the help of interpreters so that we can provide services in your language.

Though it is always best to call ahead, this is not always possible.  You can come to our door any time, day or night. 

If you do not have safe transportation to the shelter, and you live in the Niagara Region, we can assist with transportation. We also provide bus tickets if you are attending appointments in the community while residing in the shelter. There is a bus stop right in front of our building.  

The average stay for most is about 35 days. This varies based on a variety of factors including securing safe and affordable housing when you leave here. Our staff will create a transition plan with you to ensure that you are set up for success when you move out of shelter. Gillian’s Place also offers transitional housing in West Niagara for women who need a bit more time to find permanent housing. 

Some need a little extra time finding and securing safe and affordable, permanent housing. Gillian’s Place offers transitional units in West Niagara where women can stay up to a year while they sort out housing, employment, etc. Rent for these units is determined based on our income. If there is availability in one of our transitional units, our staff will help to determine your eligibility.

Service animals are welcome at Gillian’s Place with the appropriate papers. All other animals must be sheltered elsewhere.  If leaving your pet behind is a barrier to accessing our services, please call our support line and we will help you make arrangements for your pet. 

Yes. Our counsellors will create a safety plan with you to ensure that you are taking every precaution to keep yourself safe while you are not in the shelter, and as an increased precaution, we ask all residents to advise counsellors of their whereabouts when leaving the shelter.  

To protect the confidentiality of all of our clients, we do not allow visitors.  If you have children that do not regularly reside with you, we can arrange access visits with your dependents. 

We know that leaving your home and belongings is difficult. At Gillian’s Place, we work hard to make your stay with us as comfortable as possible.

Yes. Pre-arranged childcare is available should you need to attend appointments while residing in the shelter. Our Child & Youth Department also provides regular programming for children including groups, outdoor play, and arts and crafts.

Staying in the shelter will not affect the custody of your children.

Male children and youth who are your dependents are able to stay with you in the shelter (in most instances) and access services through our Child and Youth program up to the age of 18. 

As long as it is safe to do so, your children can still attend school while living at Gillian’s Place.  In some cases, we are able to arrange transportation to your child’s regular school.  If this is not possible, we can assist with accessing safe schooling elsewhere. 

Every family’s situation is different.  In most cases, Family and Children’s Services can be a support to you and your children during this difficult time. Gillian’s Place respects and upholds your confidentiality, but has a legal obligation to report any situation where the safety of a child is at-risk. More details about your confidentiality and our duty to report can be found in the video below:

There is no such thing as abandonment if you leave the home. If you are married you will not lose any legal rights that you have to the matrimonial home when you leave however, you should seek legal advice as there are limitation periods to pursue your legal rights. If you are in a common-law relationship only the person whose name is on the title has the right to reside at the residence unless there is a legal agreement stating otherwise. 

It is not kidnapping to leave your home and admit to a shelter in your region with your children. If there is already a court order or separation agreement in place about custody of your children it is important to seek legal advice as soon as possible.

You may be entitled to child support depending on who the children are residing with and your income and your partner’s income.

You may be entitled to spousal support. Factors that are considered when determining spousal support include, but are not limited to, your income, your spouse's income and the length of your relationship.  You can contact our lawyer to speak about your situation.

Gillian’s Place cannot represent you in court, however, our lawyer can provide you with legal advice and assistance with completing and reviewing legal papers.

There are situations where you can get a restraining order against your partner to prevent them from coming to your home or contacting you after you have separated. Contact our family lawyer to review your options. If you have a restraining order, including a bail order, probation order or peace bond against your partner and they are not following the order you can call the police and if they have reasonable grounds to believe an offence has occurred they can arrest your partner. You can contact our lawyer to review this process if you have questions.

Gillian’s Place is grateful for women who are in a position to share how Gillian’s Place positively impacted their lives and futures. If you would like to share your story, please contact our Community Engagement Coordinator at 905.684.4000 ext. 255 or amandadz@gilliansplace.com

We simply do not have the capacity to sort and store used donations. Thankfully, we have partnerships with several community agencies, including The Christian Benefit Shop and St. Vincent de Paul who will gladly take your gently used items on our behalf. We are also grateful for donations of gift cards so that we can purchase exactly what our clients need when they need it.

Knowledge is power, and raising awareness of this often-overlooked issue is critical in realizing our vision that women and children are free from violence and abuse. Gillian’s Place is happy to meet with you to discuss our services, or to provide greater insight into the intricacies of intimate partner violence. We will meet with you one-on-one or present to your recreation, service or church group, employees or classroom. Please contact our Community Engagement Coordinator Amanda at 905.684.4000 ext. 255 or amandadz@gilliansplace.com for more information.

Gillian’s Place relies on the generosity of our community to fund more than 30% of our programs and services. There are many ways to provide financial support. Some of the ways can be found here, but we are always open to discussing new ways to fundraise. If you have an idea or suggestion, please contact justine@gilliansplace.com