There’s good news and bad news at the Women’s House serving Bruce and Grey.
The good news is the organization’s second stage housing in Port Elgin is coming along nicely.
The bad news is the women’s house in Kincardine is jammed.
Community and Fund Development Coordinator of the Women’s House, Beverly Spence, says the downturn in the economy computes into an upturn in spousal abuse.
What’s more abused women are even more frightened about leaving an abusive home because the fear of poverty for them and their children is even more intense.
Spence says their business in Bruce and Grey has become a multi-million dollar one.
She says they now have offices in Owen Sound for sexual assault services and counsellors that stretch out to Tobermory, over to Meaford and down to Huron Kinloss.
She says there are 31 people on staff right now.
Spence says they do get money from the government but they do have to do their own fund-raising as well in order to make sure that women and children are sheltered and protected from abusive relationships.
On the positive side of the ledger, Spence says the first second-stage housing project is coming along nicely in Port Elgin.
Second stage housing provides women that assisted opportunity to live on their own after leaving the women’s house, before going back into the world totally on their own.
Port Elgin’s project on Wellington Street will be completed in November with an open house planned for October this fall.
Similar projects are planned in Kincardine and Wiarton.