Calls to Regina crisis shelter beyond pre-pandemic volume cause concern for executive director

An increasing number of women fleeing domestic violence are reaching out to the Regina Transition House, an emergency crisis shelter, for help. 

The calls for help have spiked, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, and that's a big concern, said executive director Stephanie Taylor. 

Taylor spoke with CBC's Saskatchewan Weekend host Shauna Powers about why the amount of people in need seem to be growing, how that's affecting staff and what can be done. 

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity: 

Shauna Powers: How has the pandemic has impacted the number of women who are reaching out to the Regina Transition House for help? 

Stephanie Taylor: In the first year of the pandemic, we saw a drop in the amount of calls we were used to seeing, and that was likely due to the amount of isolation people were experiencing and the lack of ability to get away from an abusive partner to make a phone call. 

Now, in the second and third years of the pandemic, our calls have not only returned to where they were at prior to the pandemic, but they've surpassed where we were before, so we saw about 1,325 calls for shelter in the last fiscal year. 

Powers: What has led to this increased demand for service?

Taylor: I think a lot of people were trapped in bad situations during the first stages of the pandemic, and now that things have kind of opened up, people are feeling a bit more comfortable about coming into a communal living environment, which is what you're looking at when you're coming into a women's shelter.

Also, the economic challenges families are facing are probably increasing the amount of violence and abuse that would be going on in these homes. People are just facing a lot more stress, a lot more pressure and it's likely increasing the amount of violence. 

Powers: What challenges have these increased needs for service created for you and your team? 

Taylor: The staff are very tired and stretched thin in a lot of cases, especially two-and-a-half years into the pandemic, so facing the challenges that the pandemic presented in this type of environment and then now with the increased demand for our services and a return to full-capacity — people are just worn thin, people are tired, and we are also facing staffing challenges, which a lot of sectors are seeing.It can definitely lead to compassion fatigue and other challenges. 

Powers:  What have you been hearing from the people seeking help about the stressors and the situations at home that led them to the shelter? 

Taylor: As the director, I don't often get to take those crisis calls. I do know, just hearing from the staff, that  when people finally do come into the shelter, we're seeing — I would say — a more significant amount of severe violence.

We've also seen quite a number of pregnant women coming in who have experienced physical violence. We're seeing that women are finding it more and more challenging to find affordable, safe housing when they leave here. 

Powers: One of the things that we've heard a lot about in recent years is the fact that many women who are facing intimate partner violence have animal companions, pets in the household that they're unwilling or reluctant to leave behind as they're trying to get out of an abusive situation. What have you tried to do to make a difference on that front? 

Taylor: In August, we officially launched our pet-friendly shelter spaces, and so this is an expansion for us and a whole new program. We've been working on it for several months to try and make it a reality.

It was seen as a service gap for women and children, families that are leaving violent situations due to the fact that a lot of people will not come into a shelter if it means leaving their pet behind. 

Powers: Saskatchewan does continue to have the highest provincial rate of intimate partner violence in the country. What calls to action you might have for people here in the province to help turn those numbers around? 

Taylor: We all know that awareness is key to help friends and neighbours of someone who might be experiencing intimate partner violence. Have conversations with them about their concerns in a safe way so that the risk to that person isn't increased if the partner finds out.

Don't be shy to talk about it, but do make sure it's a safe conversation and be willing and able to support them in different ways: emotionally, financially, just providing practical supports like a place to stay. Understand that sometimes it takes several attempts for someone to successfully leave an unhealthy relationship.

Powers: How can people support the Regina Transition House throughout the year? 

Taylor: We rely on donations to fund our extra programs, like the pet-friendly shelter spaces, our addiction support or emergency outreach services. These are things that really boost what we can offer women in the community.