Clients may report more than one kind of abuse. As one of the resources available in Alberta to address family violence, women's shelters are an important safe haven for women and children facing violence at home. If a shelter is fully occupied, emergency accommodations are available through the Alberta Government until a shelter bed is open. No one in Alberta ever needs to return to an abusive situation. This system compiles information from individuals receiving services from women's shelters.
All information is anonymous.
A total of 19 women's shelters, eight rural family violence prevention centres, and two second stage housing programs provided information. In June 1999, the Protection Against Family Violence Act came into effect increasing the protective measures and options available to victims of family violence. The majority of the funding goes to women's shelters. Shelter statistics are attached. This is the number of admissions, not the number of individuals admitted.