Stories that inspire

For more than 40 years, the Montréal shelter La Dauphinelle has provided assistance to women who are victims of conjugal violence, and to their children, helping them take back their lives.

The organization’s mission has five components: to provide shelter, meals, safety, psychological support and social integration strategies. La Dauphinelle’s approach is based on the importance of giving back the independence they have lost to women who are victims of conjugal violence, or who are in difficulty ─ an independence that is fundamental to their lives.

With a capacity of 24 spaces, and the possibility of stays of up to eight weeks, the shelter is set up to be adaptable to families of all sizes, and to accommodate children up to 18 years of age.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, SOS Violence Conjugale has seen a drop of 57% in requests for shelter. In the current lockdown, many women literally find themselves trapped in their own homes with violent partners, without any possibility of finding housing elsewhere. The Contact-Elles crisis line created by La Dauphinelle lets practitioners assist and accompany women via phone, text messaging or email. The service is available 24/7, by calling (438) 522-9264 or emailing contactelles@ladauphinelle.org.

La Dauphinelle received a grant of $20,000 from the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) through the Foundation of Greater Montréal to implement the project.

“Given the number of calls we’ve received, and what the women are telling us, we know now that these types of services are needed. Women are confined, I would even say sequestered, tensions are increasing in households, mothers fear for their children…we needed to take action! The service has several mandates: listening, breaking down isolation, advising and giving moral support to women, so as to prevent tragedies.”

– Sabrina Lemeltier, Executive Director of La Dauphinelle”