Yes you can. Athena’s has an Intimate Partner Violence program, which means we support women-identifying individuals who have experienced all forms of abuse.

Every one of these programs is free and self-referred. Learn more about the different programs offered through Huronia Transition Homes, or call us for more information and support:

• Athena’s Sexual Assault Counselling & Advocacy Centre provides free individual counselling for women and gender-diverse people aged 16 and older.
• Choices for Children is a psychoeducational group for children aged 5-15, and their mothers, who have been exposed to violence.
• Operation Grow is a social enterprise that aims to deal with issues of social isolation, food insecurity, and poverty.
• La Maison Rosewood Shelter is an emergency shelter in Midland that provides support to women, children, and gender-diverse people escaping violence and/or homelessness.

• Chayn is a global nonprofit, run by survivors and allies from around the world, creating resources to support the healing of survivors of gender-based violence. All information and services are available online, are trauma-informed, intersectional, feminist, and multi-lingual.
• Bloom is the course portal offered by Chayn. Bloom’s courses inform and empower survivors by offering remote courses that combine insights on trauma and gender-based violence with therapeutic practices to help heal from trauma. All you need to do is create a free account to get started.
• Kids Help Phone has plenty of interactive games and resources to learn about mental health and about how to support loved ones with their mental health. It’s a great resource for kids, youth, and adults.
• Wellness Together Canada provides free resources for mental health and substance use support, including self-guided programs, articles, and peer support groups.

• Catholic Family Services has holistic programs for older adults, and facilitates psycho-educational group workshops for adults 18+
• Chigamik Community Health Centre offers a variety of seasonal interest programs at no cost, including cultural-based programs, and programs offered in French.
• Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care Rehabilitation Services offer a variety of supports, including education, vocational, recreation, and music therapy services.
• Both Athena’s and La Maison Rosewood in Midland have women’s support groups. Please contact for more details.

Abuse comes in many forms and does not exist in isolation - many forms of abuse are interconnected and overlap. It is important to acknowledge and understand that not all abuse leaves marks – this invites us to think about the ways violence and abuse can happen in subtle or hidden ways.. Some of the more common forms include:

Physical

• Punching, kicking, shoving or dragging
• Slapping, biting or pulling your hair
• Holding you against your will
• Using a weapon or other objects to threaten or hurt you

Sexual

• Any unwanted activity that violates someone’s sexuality or bodily integrity. It does not have to include physical contact.
• Not letting you say “no” to sex
• Unwanted touching
• Rape
• Sexual Harassment
• Forcing someone to watch pornography

Emotional

• Words/actions/behaviours that affect how we feel. It can coincide with any of these other forms of abuse. It could include threatening to hurt yourself if someone breaks up with you. Everyone has the right to end a relationship that they don’t want to be in.
• Another example is holding the relationship hostage: “if you do or don’t do something, I will break up with you.”
• Threatening to take your children away from you
• Threatening to commit suicide or murder
• Threatening to withdraw immigration sponsorship or to have you deported
• Controlling your time, what you do, how you dress and how you wear your hair
• Always swearing at you, calling you crazy, fat, dumb and stupid

Financial

• Having say over money; not allowing you to have power over decision making/use of money
• Forcing you to pay for them/taking advantage of you with money
• Holding money over your head continuously when they have given you money/gifts/etc...
• Preventing someone from working/earning money

Technology facilitated gender-based abuse

• Abuse that occurs in a digital setting; this could be online, or through a phone, computer, etc.

Cultural/Religious

• Ridiculing or insulting another person’s religious or spiritual beliefs
• Preventing the other person from practicing their religion or beliefs
• Using partner’s religious or spiritual beliefs to manipulate/shame them
• Forcing the children to be raised in a faith that the other person has not agreed to
• Use religious texts or beliefs to minimize or rationalize abusive behaviors

Intimate partner violence, or intimate partner abuse, refers to abuse that occurs/has occuredoccurred in past or present romantic or sexual relationships. This might include sexual abuse, but it can also include any other form of abuse. People often use this term interchangeably with domestic violence.

Sexual abuse is any unwanted act that violates a person’s sexuality or bodily integrity. It can, but does not have to include touching or physical contact.

• The Barrie Native Friendship Centre offers a variety of support programs, from 1:1 counselling, to supports in culture-based healing, violence prevention, the wellbeing of others, and many more.
• The Spark’d Newcomer Counselling & Outreach Services program through Catholic Family Services offers counselling programs that are equipped to serve people in Simcoe County who qualify as permanent residents, protected persons (refugees), and Ukranian Nationals with CUAET designations. Spark’d specializes in clinical counselling to culturally diverse clients with migration and culture-related issues.
• In addtion to a variety of other counselling and support services, Chigamik Community Health Centre has an Indigenous Traditional Healing program that provides non-judgmental and compassionate support, working with individuals on a broad range of issues including stress, depression, abuse, affects of the residential school system, identity, and more.
• The Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic offers legal, counselling, and interpretation services to marginalized and racialized populations of women who have survived violence. *Please note, this resource is located in Toronto.
• Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin is a program of the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle, and provides wholistic health care and wellness programming that incorporates Indigenous culturally grounded, collaborative health care to residents of North Simcoe and Muskoka.
• Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services is a multi-service Indigenous Child Well-Being Agency, providing a stable foundation for children, youth, and families through wraparound services that are culturally-based and family-focused.
• Enaahtig Healing Lodge provides opportunities for holistic healing and learning based on the principles of Indigenous culture to individuals and families in a safe environment in order to foster healthy and balanced communities and nations.
• The Georgian Bay Native Friendship Centre provides a variety of healing, mental health, and wellness programming.
• The Orillia Native Women’s Group has a variety of programming and support, including a Breaking Free From Family Violence program.
• Nisa Helpline is a confidential, free, and anonymous helpline for Muslim women across North America, and in addition to accessing the helpline, you can now book an appointment with a mental health professional through their website.