About Us
OUR MISSION
Assist and empower survivors who have experienced Intimate partner violence (IPV) Through self-help and advocacy in order to improve their quality of life and affect social change.
Mission
The Mission of Women AWARE /Femmes AVERTIES is to assist and empower survivors who have experienced or re experiencing IPV through self-help and advocacy in order to improve their quality of life and affect social change.
Vision
Women AWARE/Femmes AVERTIES’s vision is to see our communities free of abuse. Through the services that we provide to reinforce long-term peer support as well as our advocacy effort that include awareness campaigns and events, we envision societies that are educated about abusive behaviours as systemic issues and switch the victim-blaming narrative into accountability for abusers and support for the survivors.
Values
Women AWARE/Femmes AVERTIES upholds the values of intersectional feminism, anti-oppression, and harm reduction in intervention approach and politics. Aiming to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion, we are committed to further training staff and volunteers on providing informed personalized services to survivors and their individual needs, regardless of their race, status, sexual orientation or any other aspect of their identity.
Our Story
Women AWARE/Femmes AVERTIES was founded in 1995 with a vision held by a small group of survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) who pictured a world free of abuse. There was a gap in the existing services to support survivors and prevent further violence, which inspired the peer support program created by Women AWARE.
Women AWARE/Femmes AVERTIES was created to provide long-term support to survivors of IPV. To stop and destigmatize the cycle of violence, Women AWARE increases the community’s awareness of IPV through the voices of survivors, their experiences and testimonies.
Over the past 20+ years, Women AWARE/Femmes AVERTIES has achieved its mission statement through the development of several programs run independently and in conjunction with other organizations.
The creation of Women AWARE/Femmes AVERTIES reflects the growing commitment of the Montreal community to address IPV and, more importantly, not to tolerate it. We do acknowledge and give thanks to that initial team who took the unique initiative to assist in putting forth the voice of the survivors.
June Michell - co-founder, survivor, Women of the year 2015 - Awarded by Montreal Women Council
“I believe that burdens shared are burdens lightened.”
Women Aware is very proud to have been recognized & awarded by the Human Rights Committee of the ACA* wth Dr. Yegan Pillay Ph.D, Chair of HRC - at the ACA/CCPA** Conference held in Montreal on April 2nd, 2016.
* (American Counselling Association), **(Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association)
By survivors for survivors
Women AWARE/Femmes AVERTIES
Meet our Team
Team members
We are a diverse group with a wealth of expertise, spanning hands-on experience in intervention work, crisis support, administrative and NGO management, directed towards people experiencing homelessness, involved in sex work, struggling with addiction, or living with disabilities. Our work experiences are bolstered by educational backgrounds in social sciences, criminology, feminist studies and communications.
Our collective knowledge empowers us to effectively serve survivors of IPV and address societal misconceptions about abuse. Our unwavering commitment to combat gender-based violence drives us forward.
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors represents a diverse and dynamic team. Serving on Women Aware's Board involves a 1-2 year term, which may be extended for an additional period. An impressive 80% of our Board Members identify as women with intersectional identities, and an equally noteworthy 80% identify as survivors. Each member plays a vital role in contributing to Women Aware, bringing their distinctive perspectives, personal narratives, and individual strengths to the forefront. These valuable contributions align seamlessly with our mission, reinforcing our commitment to making a positive impact.
We actively engage in raising awareness, fostering meaningful conversations, and building inclusive communities for lasting change. Our collaborative spirit and dedication to a healthy work environment further empower us in our mission to create a safer, more equitable world.
Acknowledgments
Land Acknowledgment
Women AWARE is located on unceded Indigenous territory. The Kanien’kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of these lands and waters, and Tiohtià:ke (which is also known as Montréal) is known as a gathering place for many First Nations, historically and today. We see that land acknowledgments are important and necessary as some of us members of Women AWARE are settlers, but they also are not enough in itself without action.
We acknowledge that Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirited people are disproportionately more victims of partner violence and other violence and in light of this, we encourage everyone to support, in the ways they are able to, the MMIWG2S campaigns. We critically keep in mind in our work supporting survivors of partner violence that patriarchal violence has been integral to the settler-colonial project historically and today.
We encourage those who can to support, in the ways they are able to, the work of the:
Volunteer
We welcome anyone who is eager to make a difference to join us! Your unique skills and perspective can truly make an impact!
At the heart of our organization are our dedicated volunteers; the lifeblood of our mission. They play a pivotal role in our efforts, taking on responsibilities that include providing support through our hotline, one-on-one sessions, and group support - all while drawing upon their own experiences as survivors. In recognition of their invaluable contributions, we offer certification and wholeheartedly recommend them as experts in their own right.
Our volunteers acquire essential interpersonal skills, develop a deeper understanding of societal systems and structures, and embrace a feminist perspective that informs their work and enriches their lives.
Our volunteers extend beyond the frontlines as well, with dedicated individuals lending their talents to marketing, administration, and various other tasks that help our organization thrive. Together, we are united in this fight against gender-based violence.
Become a volunteer
We welcome anyone who is eager to make a difference to join us, your unique skills and perspective can truly make an impact.
Contact us at coordinator@womenaware.ca or fill out the contact.