Services for People Experiencing Violence & Abuse

Safety Considerations

It is important to understand that leaving an abusive relationship can be dangerous.

• As you are seeking to regain some control over your life, learn about ways to stay safe and get help.
• It is important to develop a safety plan and strategies to increase your safety.
• Without help, the abuse is not likely to stop. There are many alternatives to consider. Assistance is available. Do not put yourself at risk.
• Visit PLEA (Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan) for strategies and things to consider.

Safety planning is one way to reduce harm that may occur when leaving an abusive relationship. Making a safety plan will help you to avoid dangerous situations and to know the best way to react when you are in danger. When your safety plan is complete, you should have:

• A list of important contacts
• A way to get in touch with emergency and support services
• Knowledge on how to avoid or reduce the risk of injury during a physical attack
• Information about home security, and how to be safe in and outside your home
• A safe place to go in an emergency, and a plan to get there (with your children)
• Quick access to cash, important documents and basic necessities.

Click the options below to access and complete a safety plan:

• Government of Saskatchewan Safety Plan Worksheet
• Government of Saskatchewan Domestic Violence Safety Planning Guide
• Getting Out Guide and Safety Planner

A women’s shelter (often called a transition house, interval house, safe house, or domestic violence shelter) is a safe place to stay while you work through future plans—and a place to turn to by phone if you need someone to talk to about the abuse you’ve experienced.If you are a woman who needs to get away from an abusive situation, then you are eligible to stay, with or without children, without charge. When you call, the staff member you talk to will ask some questions about your situation and will tell you whether there is space available. If the shelter is currently full, she will suggest other options for you. What to expect in shelter:

• A secure facility
• Private bedrooms for single women or families
• Shared kitchen and living rooms
• 24 hour staff available to assist and support you
• Optional group support activities
• An atmosphere of respect.

Pet safekeeping in Saskatchewan

• Interpersonal Violence Leave is a job-protected leave of up to 10 days in a period of 52 weeks for survivors of interpersonal or sexual violence to access supports or relocate to a new home.
  • The 10 day leave can be taken as five employer paid days and five unpaid days.
  • The leave can be broken down into days or hours as required.
  • Only time spent away from work would be considered leave time.
• Eligibility: an employee who is a victim of interpersonal or sexual violence or an employee who is a parent of a child who is a victim or an employee who is a caregiver of a victim of interpersonal or sexual violence and the employee requires time off work to:
  • seek medical attention for a victim with respect to a physical or psychological injury or disability caused by interpersonal or sexual violence;
  • obtain services from a victim services organization;
  • obtain psychological or other professional counselling;
  • relocate temporarily or permanently; or
  • seek legal or law enforcement assistance, including preparing for or participating in any civil or criminal legal proceeding related to or resulting from the interpersonal or sexual violence.
• Employees must have worked for an employer for a minimum of 13 weeks and will be required to provide evidence of the services being received if the employer requests it. This could be written confirmation from:
  • a social worker;
  • a member of the College of Psychologists;
  • a duly qualified medical practitioner;
  • a practicing member of the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association or the Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Saskatchewan;
  • a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or another police service; or
  • another person approved by the employer who is employed by an agency or organization that provides emergency or transitional shelter or support for victims of interpersonal violence.
• Employers are required to ensure personal information about employees accessing the leave is kept confidential.

Tenants who are affected by interpersonal violence may be able to end a lease early if the continuation of the tenancy could pose a safety risk. Victims must obtain a certificate from Victim Services which then allows them to end a fixed term tenancy by giving 28 days’ notice to the landlord. Contact Victim Services toll free at 1-888-286-6664 for more information.