SUPPORT TO END FAMILY VOILENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY

Kelowna 26, April 2021 – Broker Owner, Wade Webb of Royal LePage Kelowna presented a cheque to the Kelowna Women’s Shelter Resource Development Coordinator, Ester Pike.

Last year, Royal LePage Kelowna REALTORS® had donated part of their commissions to The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation throughout the year, resulting a total of over $2,500 raised to help women and children.

Each year in Canada, up to 362,000 children are exposed to family violence, and according to the RCMP, a child who witnesses spousal violence is a form of child abuse. Half of all women in Canada have experience at least one occurrence of physical or sexual violence since the age of 16. While the rate of domestic violence is much likely higher than we know, 70% of spousal violence is not reported to the RCMP.

According to Survey Canada, Indigenous participants were twice as likely as non-Indigenous participants to state harassment or attacks because of race, ethnicity, or skin color. Today, there are closer to 4,000 cases of missing or murdered Aboriginal women in Canada since 2012, and Indigenous women are killed six times the rate of non-Indigenous women.

Regardless of religion, culture, or ethnicity, violence against women and children among Canada is a serious problem. Family violence affects those who are directly involved in all areas. Socially, financially, their well-being, their friends and family, and even their community.  The key to reducing such high numbers is by raising public awareness of domestic violence and supporting women shelters. In doing so, we are providing a safe space where women and children can turn to when they need to escape violence and need help rebuilding their lives.

Women’s shelters provide victims with essentials such as, food and clothing and deliver ongoing counselling, support and preventive education at no cost.

About the Central Okanagan Emergency Shelter Society and the Kelowna Women’s Shelter

The Central Okanagan Emergency Shelter is a non-profit Society, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.

The Kelowna Women’s Shelter is a member of B.C. / Yukon Society of Transition Houses, a network of women’s shelters, transition houses, and safe homes across B.C., yet function as an independent organization.

The paid staff and volunteers provide services to women and children in the area boundaried by Oyama to the North and Peachland to the South.

Many programs and services are offered, including; outreach and support, shelter and transition housing, children’s programs, violence prevention, childcare and counselling and crisis support.

The Kelowna Women’s Shelter also have counsellors available for 24 hours a day at: 250-763-1040

For more information, visit www.KelownaWomensShelter.ca

About the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to supporting women’s shelters and ending violence against women and children. Every dollar raised goes directly to helping the more than 50,000 women and children who are served each year by the shelters and support programs we fund. Since 1998, the Shelter Foundation has raised more than $35 million and currently supports 200 local women’s shelters and national partners. Our agents donate a portion of their commissions and Royal LePage offices across Canada hold local fundraising events. Our brokers, agents and staff also volunteer and provide in-kind goods to benefit the women and children residing in their local shelters.

For more information, visit www.RoyalLePage.ca/en/realestate/about-us/shelter-foundation/

About Royal LePage

Serving Canadians since 1913, Royal LePage is the country’s leading provider of services to real estate brokerages, with a network of 17,000 real estate professionals in over 600 locations nationwide. Royal LePage Kelowna is one of the largest providers of real estate services in Kelowna.  We care deeply about our clients and our community and strive to give you expertise and service you can count on.

For further information please contact:
Email: info@RoyalLePageKelowna.com