A Hub Without Walls (HWoW)
Preventing Gender-Based Violence. Connecting Services. Empowering People. Strengthening Windsor-Essex.
The Violence Against Women Coordinating Committee Windsor-Essex (VAWCCWE), in coordination with Hiatus House, Legal Assistance of Windsor, and the Sexual Assault Crisis Centre, are proud to announce $2.5 million in funding from the Province of Ontario, to support HWoW – A Hub Without Walls: Ending Gender-Based Violence in Windsor-Essex.
“This funding gives us the momentum to strengthen coordination across agencies and truly align our efforts. It’s a chance to move from parallel work to unified action, building a system where survivors don’t have to navigate disconnected supports on their own.” - Amy Peirone, Coordinator of the Violence Against Women Coordinating Committee Windsor-Essex (VAWCCWE)
“This announcement provides a much-needed opportunity for organizations working in the GBV sector to enhance services and increase collaboration that will better serve survivors, it also offers the chance to expand education and prevention efforts across the region.”
- Carol Branget, Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Crisis Centre of Essex County
“The committee is honoured to receive this investment into the gender-based violence sector for Windsor-Essex. We will work diligently with our partners to ensure that we support as many people as possible over the next two years. Our goal is to identify and support people early in order to prevent any further instances of femicide in our communities”
-Sylvie Guenther, Executive Director of Hiatus House
“This funding enables experts in intimate partner violence to develop a seamless service delivery model in Windsor-Essex, and to ensure that other sectors can incorporate best practices into their work with survivors.”
- Shelley Gilbert, Executive Director of Legal Assistance of Windsor
2.5 million going towards gender-based violence program - CTV News
Click above link to read the CTV News article announcing this funding!
What is HWoW?
A survivor-centered initiative that brings together over 18 organizations and agencies across the region to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV) through coordinated cross-sector action.
At its core, HWoW aims to replace fragmented services with a connected, survivor-centered system of care that meets individuals both where they are and with the services they need.
KEY COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE:
(1) Mobile supports for survivors - including service navigation for adults and youth, trauma counselling, and addiction support, and coordinated risk identification and safety planning across multiple sectors.
(2) Prevention & Education Programming - designed to honour the diverse experiences and needs of survivors and communities.
(3) Cross-Sector Training for Frontline Providers - building trauma-informed, anti-racist, and culturally responsive services and responses to gender-based violence.
Primary Partners of the Project Include:
Legal Assistance Windsor (LAW)
Sexual Assault Crisis Centre of Essex (SACC)
Hiatus House
Windsor Essex Child/Youth Advocacy Centre (WECYAC)
Victim Services of Windsor & Essex County
The Windsor Women Working with Immigrant Women (W5)
The Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County (MCC)
The South Asian Centre Windsor (SAC)
Women’s Enterprise skills and training of Windsor Inc. (WEST)
