Women's Intervention & Support Program
The Women’s Intervention and Support Program (WISP) is a group intervention program of Changing Ways for women charged with domestic assault and referred through the criminal justice system.
Distinctly unique from a men’s Partner Assault Response Program, WISP has been developed with the experience of women charged with domestic assault at the forefront, and differentiates intimate-partner violence between men and women from a gendered analysis that acknowledges the inequities that continue to exist for women in a personal, social, cultural, and institutional context.
The strength of the model centres on holding women accountable for their behaviour, while at the same time creating space to examine their personal circumstances in order to assess risk and create safety. All women are seen, heard, and understood in the context of the complexity that exists in a mainstream world that by and large doesn’t “get it” when it comes to the issue of “domestic violence.” Women are invited, without minimizing, denying, or blaming, to be empowered to be accountable for their choices—but also with appropriate consideration for their circumstances, and ultimately in the spirit of safe, healthy relationships.
What happens when you are referred?
An intake appointment will be arranged/scheduled with you. During your appointment expect to answer some personal questions.
Intake appointments range from 30-60 minutes in length. After a successful intake appointment, you will be assigned a group start date and time to attend weekly.
Victim/Partner Contact
As clients are referred to the Men’s or Women’s Counselling Programs, specialized counsellors make contact with the victim of assault and/or the current partner of the client involved in the group counselling program.
The victim or partner will be provided an opportunity to share their experiences with someone who will listen and support them in a way that reflects an understanding of the complexities of abuse and increases safety.
Services are voluntary in nature and are generally provided over the phone and include risk assessment, safety planning, information sharing and referrals to ongoing community supports.
Programmes d’intervention auprès des partenaires violents (PIPV)
Les programmes d’intervention au près des partenaires violents (PIPV), un volet du Programme de tribunaux pour l’instruction des causes de violence conjugale de l’Ontario, sont des services spécialisés de counseling et d’éducation en groupe offerts par des organismes communautaires à des personnes ayant agresséleurs partenaires. Certains contrevenants reçoiven t l’ordre de participer au Programme IPV du tribunal. Les programmes IPV visent à améliorer la sécurité de la victimeet à encourager les contrevenants à assumer la responsabilité de leur conduite. Pour en savoir plus.
Le programme de 12 séances donne aux contrevenants la possibilité d’analyser leur scroyances et leurs attitudes à l’égard de la violence familiale, et d’apprendre des méthodes non abusives de résolution des conflits.
Pendant qu’un contrevenant participe au PIPV, le personnel offre à la victime de l’aider à planifiers a sécurité, l’orientevers des ressources communautaires et l’informe des progrès réalisés par le contrevenant.
Téléphone sans fraispelle:
1 888 438 9869
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