2010 2011 SWC Annual Report

8/3/2019 2010 2011 SWC Annual Report

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about

missionTo increase saety and supports or wom

children leeing domestic violence, sexu

and child abuse.

valuesIn ulilling our mission, we operate rom

harm reduction and trauma models o i

that build saety networks, including me

relationships with sel, others and comm

SAFETY Our irst responsibility is to o

We advocate or the saety or women,

vulnerable men who have experienced v

other orms o oppression.

TEAMWORK Our second responsibilit

team. We work collaboratively with our

and volunteers in a respectul workplace

community saety and social change.

LEADERSHIP Our third responsibility

community. We create innovative partneoster community leadership by promoti

based best practices.

ACCOUNTABILITY Our ourth respons

our supporters. We ensure ethical, trans

accountable inancial and undraising p

uthe surrey womens centreestablished in 1992, is a not-or-proit charitable

agency that provides ree counselling and support

services primarily or women and children leeing

violence. Our services include a crisis line, counselling,

support groups, orientation and accompaniment to

hospital, police and court, as well as legal advocacy.

Services are housed in a resource centre that

partners with other community agencies to ensure

that women and children have access to income,

ood, clothing and shelter.

We collaborate with key medical, legal and social

service stakeholders to increase the saety and

available supports or women and children at-risk o

serious bodily injury or death. By building partnerships

that address systemic barriers contributing to the

incidence and impact o domestic violence and sexual

assault, community beneits include an enhanced ocus

on the saety o women and children, oender account-

ability as well as the institutionalization o

community partnerships.

contents Surrey Womens Centre 2010 - 2011 Annual Report to the Community

about us

a message rom

the president and

executive director

feature story

in memory o maria:

a daughters tribute

remembered

programs

success stories

projects

the honest truth:

a domestic violence

social media campaign

making a positive change:

learning opportunitiesor local service providers

thank you

inancials

surrey womens

centre sta

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4

6

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3/15

In Canada, according to the most recent victimization

studies, 653,000 women are victims o domestic

violence on an annual basis. It is well documented

that violence oten escalates during separation it is

urther estimated that 74 o these women will be killed

by their partners every year, most likely ollowing a

recent separation. In BC, one in ten murders is a result

o domestic violence. Since 2006, nine women, including

Maria Catroppa have been killed by their partners in the

City o Surrey alone.

It is clear that our mission to increase the saety

and supports or women and children is as relevant

today as it was in the past when we opened our doors

19 years ago. At Surrey Womens Centre, we partner

with the community to empower women and childrenleeing violence to identiy risks and develop saety plans,

receive urgent medical treatment, navigate complex legal

proceedings and meet their basic needs that many o

us take or granted such as ood, clothing and shelter.

Since 2002, however, signiicant policy changes resulting

in cuts to essential ser vices have had a proound impact

on the saety o women and children. This year alonewe have seen the closure o our more womens centres

located Cranbrook, Comox Valley, Kelowna and Vernon.

It is with the support o our community that Surrey

Womens Centre continues to provide critical and

essential services that keep women and children sae.

This year, Surrey Womens Centre has ha

opportunities to partner with medical, le

service stakeholders in the community w

our commitment to ending violence again

and children. Our primary initiatives supp

and children who are at risk o serious b

and death. Key questions that guide our

how can we, as community, identiy whe

children are at risk and prevent serious b

murder resulting rom domestic violence

We are taught to call 9-1-1 in cases o e

The unortunate reality is that most victim

violence do not call the police or help. O

women will ever report the assault to the

women suer in silence or rely on amilyor support. In spite o the increased awa

domestic violence, loved ones do not ot

the warning signs, particularly those risk

to death.

In memory o Maria Catroppa, Surrey Wo

is collaborating with her amily, and loca

Alison Soroka and award-winning ilm ma

Banovich to launch a campaign to help w

risk actors or domestic violence and ac

resources such as the Surrey Womens C

our hope to honour the lie o Maria by h

women living in ear or their lives.

On behal o our board, sta and volunte

our Annual Report to Maria and other wo

at the hands o their husbands.

In loving memory,Connie Bonsteel

Board President

Sonya Boyce

Executive Director

violenceagainstwomen isanepidemic

in loving memory:

a message from the president and executive director

On November 24, 2009, Maria Catroppa, devoted mother of four children,

was stabbed to death by her husband in their Surrey home. Although he

was recently convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life

imprisonment, some believe that this could only be the isolated act of a

madman. At Surrey Womens Centre, however, we know that this isolatedact is an everyday occurrence in the lives of women. Women, like Maria,

are often most at risk for serious bodily injury and even death when they

leave a violent relationship. In this case, Honourable Justice Josephson

writes [u]nfortunately, it is not uncommon in situations of domestic

violence to see physical attacks on a spouse motivated by anger at an

unwanted separation.

Womens centres are often

the first and sometimes the

only place that women will

call for help.


4/15

On November 24, 2009 Maria Catroppa, devoted mother of four

children, was stabbed to death by her husband in their Surrey

home. This key note address was delivered by Dr. Jay Tuason,

Marias eldest daughter, at the inaugural conference of the Surrey

Coalition Against Domestic Abuse. As part of her moving tribute

to her mother, Jay acknowledged the support her family continues

to receive from Surrey Womens Centre.

On November 24th, 2009 local papers ran the ollow-

ing news article: An elderly Fleetwood man is accused

o stabbing his wie to death in their Monta Rosa

townhouse. Neighbours were awoken by screaming at

about 3:20 am at the townhouse complex, in Surrey.

Police ound the body o 69-year-old Maria Catroppa inone o the units and arrested her 74-year-old husband,

who is acing a charge o second-degree murder.

Many o us unamiliar with domestic violence would

read the article and say, why didnt she just leave

him? What did she do to bring this on? And o

course, This wouldnt happen in my amily. Now that

this has happened to our amily, I realize how destruc-

tive these comments can be and how critical it is to

have the services that your organizations provide.

As someone who loves and values education, I turned

to books and articles to help me deal with the grie o

my mothers murder. In my head I knew that women

who experienced domestic violence were not at ault

and that the reasons women st ay in abusive relation-

ships are varied and complex, however, I must admit

that I oten ound mysel wondering why these women

stayed why didnt they just leave? Why didnt mymother just leave? I had much to learn and as I learned

I ound mysel more and more thankul or the services

your organizations provide.

When I couldnt sleep (and these were many nights),

I would read various books and articles on domestic

violence. What I read caused me a great de

sadness and made me rethink my views on

violence. Id like to share with you some thi

Legal systems around the world, including o

consider the murder o ones wie a less serthan the murder o a stranger. This stance o

murder is based on societys view o wome

devalues women and relegates them to the

o a womans role. Unortunately, in genera

ies, in varying degrees, consider women ine

They oten view women as illing a speciic r

includes duties or her husband. Any non-u

her role then makes her murder seem less

To provide some perspective on the magnit

problem, Id like to share some recent stat

his book The War on Women, Valle (2007

that: From 2000 to the end o 2006, the

U.S. military and law enorcement deaths,

accidents and suicides was 4,588. The co

o all Canadian military and law enorceme

in that same period was 101. In that same

years, more than 8,000 women in the U.S

stabbed, strangled, burned or beaten to deintimate males in their lives. While in Cana

women, ive times more than Canadian so

police oicers, were killed by their current o

male partners. Even adding in all the victim

the U.S. law enorcement and military tota

than the number o women killed by their s


5/15

My mother, Maria Catroppa was born in 1940 in a small town

in southern Italy. In those days, girls were not sent to school.

Instead they stayed home, cooked, cleaned and looked ater their

siblings. She led a relatively normal lie or her time. At the age

o 18 she met and married our ather, the love o her lie and

moved to Canada. Our parents, like so many, came to Canada in

search o a better lie. What t hey lacked in wealth and a ormal

education, they more than made up or in enthusiasm, hope

and a willingness to work hard or a good lie in this exciting new

country they now called home.

Like all parents, our parents wanted the best or their children

education, they would say, is the key to success. Go to school,

work hard and you will achieve great success. Whats equally

as important however are the lessons our parents taught us

about inormal education. This we learned by watching them.Our parents were role models in demonstrating their love,

passion, hard work and dedication to amily. They were always

learning, growing and adapting. Their amily was everything to

them. For many years we were the typical new immigrant amily,

living the Canadian dream mom, dad and our kids. However

our world was turned upside down in 1973 when our ather was

killed in a hunting accident.

A ew days ater my athers death, my uncle whod been

hunting with him, talked to us about his last conversation with

my ather. They were in ront o the campire, talking about lie,

amily and their hopes and dreams or the uture. My dad spoke

o his dream or his children, the hope that they would go to

university and have a successul lie. That one o them would

become a university proessor this is one o the reasons I do

what I do. To honour my parents and to do my part to make

their dreams come true, in just a ew days, Nov. 12th to be

exact, I will be graduating with my PhD. This was supposed to

be a big celebration with my mother and amily. One o the lastconversations I had with my mother was about her coming to my

graduation ceremony and the act that I would soon be called Dr.

Tuason. Although she wont be there in body, I know she and my

dad will be there in spirit cheering me on as I ulill our dream.

Against all odds, our mother kep

together, she worked hard to ke

table and to maintain a roo ove

she role-modeled again and a

incredible strength, ability to ada

and her desire to keep the amil

continued to spread her light to

touched. Hers and our dads goa

didnt change they were a bit m

to achieve, but they didnt chang

We had very little ater our dad d

how our mom managed to make

o nothing. No matter what, she

on the table. To this day, we don

how she managed to stretch suc

such wonderul easts. Friends a

came to the door were never turwere always welcomed and alwa

ability to keep a smile on her ac

her eye and to share her love wi

tered is a testament to her incre

Incredible statistics yet society, rather t han dealing

with the issue, oten blame the victim or staying in

the relationship or or not ulilling her role as

a woman. Holding the victim responsible or her

murder only serves to shit the blame rom the

murderer to the victim. This shit in blame increas-

es the murderers chances o receiving bail, a

lesser charge, or example second degree mur-

der or manslaughter vs. irst degree murder, and

a lesser sentence. One victim o spousal abuse

described her eelings in this way, As easy as

it may be to judge a woman who chooses to stay

in an abusive relationship, its a lot more diicult

to listen to her story (Valle, 2007). And so as

diicult as it is to share we hope youll listen to

our mothers story.

Our mother touched many lives. Mom was our

light, our rock, our riend, our conidante, our

protector, our provider, our guide, our ather, ourmother and our hero. She raised us to be strong

and independent. She was proud o what shed

accomplished with so little. She would oten say,

I have our children, two are business owners,

one is a transportation worker and the other is a

university proessor. We, her our children and

seven grandchildren, were in contact with her daily,

and saw her several times a week. As close as we

were, as much as we loved her and as much as

she meant to us, we still missed the signs, ignored

the clues, and thought that she and her spouse

were just another normal married couple. As

painul as reliving what happened to her is or us,

were telling her story so that other amilies dont

miss the signs and ignore the clues. Were telling

her story so that men who murder their spouses

dont get out on bail or r eceive lesser charges or

sentences because it was only a domestic homi-

cide. We cant bring our mother back, but we hope

that by telling her story, we can help prevent this

rom happening to other women.

Beore I continue, Id like to share with you one o

the many coincidences (or as I like to call it, ate)

that surround our moms death. On June 4th, 2009

in this very building I gave the convocation speech

to the graduating class. I was asked to give the

speech and to share my stor y o lielong learning

with students, their parents, amilies and riends.

I decided to dedicate the speech to my parents

and the many like them who had immigrated

to Canada to ind a better lie or their children.

I invited my mother to the ceremony and the

celebration dinner aterwards. She came to the

ceremony but declined the dinner because her

husband didnt want her to be gone that long

yet another clue Id missed. My mother sat in the

back o the room so that she could leave and get

back to her husband as quickly as possible. She

phoned me later to tell me how proud she was andhow much my ather would have loved to hear my

speech and how sorry she was to miss the dinner.

The story I am about to share with you today

is similar to the speech I g ave in this room on

June 4th, 2009.

She gave us a childhood full of memories, smiles and full

stomachs. Marias grandson

Maria lost the father of her childr

adversity throughout her life, but


6/15

This is why the work you do is so important. You are on the ront

lines o this war against women and or all that you do we are

orever thankul. The support weve received during this dark

period in our lives has been immeasurable. Yet we almost didnt

receive this much needed support.

We came to know o the Surrey Womens Centre by coincidence

or as I like to think o it, ate. I like to call it the story o our three

Marys. The irst Mary was our mother, and our ir st shelter rom

the storm o our athers death. During the irst ew days ater our

mothers death, we met another Mary, Marion, the director o the

uneral home. These irst ew days were a dark og o grie and

disbelie I cant adequately describe the pain we were eeling.

Thankully, Marion was like a sae harbor amidst the storm.

She not only helped us through the uneral arrangements, the

ceremonies, the entombment and the many decisions thatneeded to be made during this di icult time, she also intervened

when our mothers body wasnt released on time by the coroners

oice. She would take us into a quiet corner to talk to and

console us and she did what she could to shelter us. And this

Marion also sent us the third Mary, Maryam rom the Surrey

Womens Centre she is here today.

Our third Mary, Maryam rom the Surrey Womens Centre has

been with us since beore we even realized it. She was called

when we decided that rather than lowers or our mothers uneral,

we would like unds to go to help women who had experienced

domestic violence. Marion, the uneral director called the Surrey

Womens Centre to set this up or us. And so, it was through this

act o charity that our third Mary was sent to us. Maryam was

there during the prayers, during the uneral service and during

the entombment. It was only ater we laid our mom to rest and

Marion the uneral directors role was completed, that Maryam

rom the Surrey Womens Centre stepped in to guide us through

this next leg o our journey. Ive oten thought, What would wedo without Maryam? or Thank goodness we have Maryam or

I know, Ill ask Maryam. Shes helped us through the maze o

legal proceedings, the victim services issues, explained what was

happening in the court room and what would happen next. She

was there with her arms around me when I sat in the court room

and heard that my mother had been stabbed

The signs stopped at approximately 3:20 am on November

24, 2009 when he stabbed her to death 126 times.

She was killed while she slept. In hindsight, we should

have worried, everything wasnt ok and she couldnt look

ater hersel. The one who promised to love, honour and

cherish her did no such t hing. He murdered her instead.

Unortunately weve learned, albeit too late or our

mother, that her story is eerily similar to many stories

o spousal abuse and murder. We want these stories to

stop. Decreasing the prevalence o violence against

women requires challenging its acceptance, especially

the many ways in which victims are blamed and perpetra-

tors excused. We need to provide support or women who

are abused and strong sentences or those who murder

and abuse them. To decrease the incidence o suchviolence, we must however make prevention a priority.

Mom always said she would not remarry until her

hildren were grown and on their own. She always putthers needs above her own. And so, in June o 1999,

when her youngest child was 29 years old, she married

he man who would, ten years later, murder her.

lthough in hindsight we could say that we should have

nown we should have known he would do this be-

ause; he would stand over her bed several times a night

taring at her, he controlled her with money (leaving $20

n the bedside table or her weekly spending money), he

would push and shove her, mom would hide the knives

n the house because she was araid he would harm

er, she would hide in the bedroom and whisper when

he talked to us on the phone, she would not leave the

ouse because he didnt want her to go out, she missed

pecial occasions with her children and g randchildren

ecause she had to stay with him and the list goes on.

We now wonder what she didnt tell us. The secrets that

he dared not share. When we questioned her or asked

er to explain, she would get embarrassed and say it wask, she was only exaggerating. Dont worry, everything is

k. I can look ater mysel, she would say. In hindsight,

here were so many signs, until there were none.

Were telling hethat other fam

miss the signs athe clues. Were t

story so thatmurder their spou

get out on bail o

lesser charges or because it w

domestic hWe cant bring o

back, but we hotelling her sto

help preventhappening to othe

126 times and when I couldnt b

she would whisper in my ear the

words, that would help me to kee

0

om was our hero.Marias daughter.

Friends and family were always welcome.Ma

In hindsight, there

were so many signs,

until there were none.

The signs stopped at

approximately 3:20 am

on November 24, 2009

when he stabbed her

to death 126 times.


7/15

I cant speak or all victims but I can say that or ouramily, we were too grie stricken to ind help. Help had

to be oered and once oered it was like a lieline that we

couldnt release. We continue to hold onto this lieline as

we await the trial and all that comes with it. Here again,

we will lean on Maryam to help us through this next leg o

our journey to ind justice or our mom. So as I conclude

my mothers story, I leave you with some inal thoughts:

Prevention is critical women need a sae place to

go and to eel valued and deser ving o help. We missed

the signs o our mothers situation we need to learn

rom hers and others stories. It is places like the Surrey

Womens Centre that can help educate, provide a sae

harbour in the storm and ultimately prevent what

happened to our mother rom happening to others.

Coordination amongst offices and services is vital

dont leave it to ate or others to ind their Mary. Talk to

each other, coordinate services and reer people like usto the appropriate services.

And inally, thank you! What you do is so vitally important

you make a dierence to the lives o abused women and

their amilies. We need you and appreciate all that you do.

Please continue to be that lieline, that shelter in the storm.

On Sept. 28th o this year my mother would have

urned 70. O course she didnt live to see her 70th

irthday, and o course this was a painul day or our

amily this was the irst birthday without her. On this

ay I received an email rom Maryam that said, Im

hinking about you and I hope all is well. Say hello

o your amily and call me i you need me. I replied,

Thanks or the email, do you know that today is moms

irthday? She replied, No but something made me

each out to you today. Coincidence? Maybe. Yet

nother coincidence is Maryams appearance and

emeanor she looks and acts like our mother a big

ersonality in a tiny package, coincidence? Maybe. The

ther day my sister and I were talking about Mar yams

esemblance to our mother and she reminded me that

ur ancestors had come rom Persia, now called Iran,Maryams birthplace. Coincidence? Maybe. I like to call

ate. We were ortunate, ate brought us our Marys

ut I wonder about the other victims. The victims that

avent ound their Marys, what do they do? How do they

ope? Im not sure how to ix this, however it must begin

with greater coordination with the various victim services

roups, the police and the prosecutors o ice.

She was born Maria Candeloro. Her name literally translated means Mary,

candle of gold.

keep a recording of my mothers voice. It is one of her

st messages to me. I wont delete it. Marias daughter

2

maria catroppamemorial award fund

The family has created the Maria Catroppa

Memorial Award at Kwantlen Polytechnic

University to help single mothers who may not

otherwise be able to further their education.

What better way to honour her memory and

to help women in need than to create an award

in her name? says Giuseppina Osterman,

Marias daughter.

It has been a privilege or Surrey Womens Centre to learn Marias story.

We have had the honour o sharing in private memories, photos and stories.

The Catroppa Familys immeasurable grie is only matched by their ininite

compassion to tell her stor y to save others. Join Marias amily and the

Surrey Womens Centre in helping women and their amilies escape violence.

Visitwww.surreywomencentre.ca to donate a git today.

Maria, may you rest in peace.


8/15

ince 2006, nine women,ncluding Maria Catroppaave been killed by theirartners in the city ofurrey alone. It is clearhat our mission toncrease the safety andupports for women andhildren is as relevantoday as it was in the past

hen we opened ouroors 19 years ago.

surrey, bc june 21, 2006

Manhendra Singh is charged in the shooting deaths

o his two stepsons, Amarjit, 17, and Ranjit, 15, and theattempted murder o his third w ie, Sukhwinder Kaur Johal.

Sukwinders throat was slit and she was beaten with the

same rile that killed her two sons. Singh pled guilty to two

counts o second degree murder and one count o attempted

murder. He was sentenced to lie imprisonment, eligible or

parole in seventeen years.

surrey, bc october 2006

Manjit Panghali, 39, pregnant, was strangled to death and her

charred body was later ound near a Delta waterway. Over our

years later, her husband, Mukhtiar Panghali was ound guilty

o second degree murder and sentenced to lie imprisonment,

eligible or parole in iteen years.

surrey, bc november 2006

Navreet Waraich, mother o a our-month-old boy, was stabbed

in her basement suite and later died in hospital. Two years

later, her husband, Jatinder Waraich, was ound guilty o

second degree murder, eligible or parole in ten years.

surrey, bc februar y 2007

Amanpreet Kaur Bahia, 33, mother o three children, was

ound ace down in a pool o blood in her home. One o her

three young children was ound crying next to her body. Four

years later, three suspects are arrested and charged, including

Amanpreets husband, Baljinder Singh Bahia, 41. The case is

still pending.

surrey, bc jul y 2007

Shemina Hirji Cheema, Surrey school Princip

dead in the Burnaby home which she shared

husband o less than one week. Her husban

reported the death as a home invasion. Two

Cheema had been convicted o orcible con

threats and attempted kidnapping in tw o sep

involving his ormer iance in Winnipeg. Wh

as a suspect in S heminas murder, Paul Che

two months later.

surrey, bc a ugust 21, 2008

Manjit Kaur Sandhu and her 22-year-old dau

are shot to death. Following three psychiatric

her husband, Harpaljit Sandhu, pleads guilty

in October 2009.

surrey, bc september 25, 2008

Melissa Chatham, 24, was beaten to death i

9-year-old son in their Surrey home. Her ex-

David McKenzie, 37, was charged with secon

but pled guilty to manslaughter and was sen

years imprisonment. With credit or time serv

eligible or unescorted temporary passes.

surrey, bc november 24, 2009

Maria Catroppa, 69, mother o our children

death in her bed. Almost t wo years later, he

Sebastiano Damin was convicted o second

and sentenced to lie imprisonment, eligible

years. He is currently appealing his sentence

surrey, bc june 03, 2010

Marianthi Teresa Tsanas, 25, was shot sever

ound lying in the middle o a Surrey street s

atal gunshot wounds. Her boyriend, Aaron

only suspect in the murder later kills himsel

surrey, bc februar y 2011

The body o Jennier Ferguson, 40, o Surrey

in plastic and dumped in a ditch near a popu

Vancouver sports park. Fergusons live-in bo

Frank Bracken, is charged with one count o

remembered

4


9/15

programs

victim servicesOur Victim Ser vice program served 2,702 women,

children and men impacted by violence, an increase

o eleven percent compared to last year. Our Crisis

and Court teams are tr ained in the ollowing core

competencies: crisis intervention, risk assessment,

saety planning, advocacy, as well as orientation and

accompaniment to legal proceedings. Each team,

however, has its own speciic area o expertise.

crisis teamOur Crisis Team primarily supports women immediately

ater a physical or sexual assault. We operate a crisis

line and provide in-person support or women who

oten do not report the assault to the police. We

support women to access critical resources such

as medical treatment and sae housing. Our team is

specially trained to support marginalized women who

experience multiple barriers when attempting to access

support services, and liaise with medical, legal and

social service sta to better meet their needs.

Maryam Majedi Program Manager, Victim Services

programs

Working together, our crisis, court and counselling

teams are able to respond to the immediate needs

of women at-risk. The collaboration among our

program areas include:

Clear and consistent internal referral procedures;

The use of standardized risk assessment and

safety planning tools;

Shared models of practice reinforced by joint

training opportunities.

In addition, our Resource Centre partners with

other community agencies to ensure that women

and children have access to income, food, clothing

and shelter.

court teamOur Court Team primarily supports abus

and children who are required to testiy

proceedings. We assist them to navigate

justice system rom the police investigat

court disposition and any subsequent pa

Our team is specially trained to liaise wit

Crown Counsel and other key stakeholde

criminal justice system to ensure that sa

oremost consideration throughout the i

prosecution and supervision o oender

Both teams routinely coordinate support

that address the individual needs o wom

including inormal supports, such as, em

and amily members as well as ormal s

include medical, legal and social service

resource centreOur Resource Centre partners with othe

agencies to ensure that women and chil

access to income, ood, clothing and sh

our team served an increased number o

in poverty leeing violence. Our team pla

in helping women to execute their saety

acilitating access to resources that mee

basic needs. Every month, approximatel

rely on our Resource Centre to provide t

clothing, bedding and assistance accessood and housing. Personal care kits rem

Resource Centres most popular request

include travel-size toiletries like soap, sh

deodorant and toothpaste. Thanks to ou

at Christmas, the Resource Centre playe

provided 260 gits to children living in po

6


10/15

Julianne, 32, called Surrey Womens Centres crisis

line ater her husband was arrested or assaulting her

with a deadly weapon. Our support worker accompanied

her to the hospital to receive urgent medical treatment

or her injuries. Ater she was released rom the hospital,

Julianne required additional assistance inding a sae

place to live and temporary income assistance until she

could ind a job. Julianne has iled or divorce and is now

working as a legal assistant.

Nita, 42, was strangled by her husband. Although he

was arrested, Nita eared or her lie and was too araid

to testiy in court. A support worker at Surrey Womens

Centre helped her apply or inancial compensation

through the Crime Victim Assistance Program which she

used to relocate to another province.

Harjit, 39, who speaks Punjabi as her irst language,

called Surrey Womens Centre to ind out how to applyor separation and custody o her three children ater 12

years o marriage. She met with the amily law lawyer at

Surrey Womens Centre who explained her legal rights

and options. Because Harjit was ineligible or legal aid,

the amily law lawyer agreed to represent her in court.

Harjit won custody o her three children.

Ashly, 17, was sexually assaulted by a

A support worker at Surrey Womens Ce

nied her to the hospital where she agree

collection o orensic evidence. The hosp

to store the orensic evidence or up to a

she decides to report the assault to the

later time. Although Ashly decided not to

assault to the police, she graduated rom

while regularly attending a support group

o sexual assault.

Marcie, 39, was reerred to Surrey Wom

by her Employment Assistance Worker.

her daughter had led a 19 year abusive

with only a small bag o personal eects

staying with a riend. Our support workeemergency hamper that included clothes

household items. Three years ater acce

Marcie is volunteering with a transition h

to help other women and children leeing

Eve, 63, needed assistance arranging h

Calgary to Surrey to testi y against her e

an attempted murder charge. Our suppo

Eve navigate the criminal justice system

orientation and accompaniment to legal

Eves ex-husband was convicted and sen

years imprisonment. Surrey Womens Ce

connected with Eve and will support her

uture parole hearings.

Carlene, 45, was sexually abused as a

the help o her counsellor at Surrey Wom

Carlene learned that using alcohol was a

strategy that allowed her to cope with thtrauma she experienced as a child. Carle

lor helped her to ind a detox bed and la

treatment program. Carlene stayed conn

counsellor while in residential treatment

to attend counselling as part o her reco

Names and identifying details have been changed to protect the

successstories

counsellingOur counselling team oers individual and group counsel-

ling or women who have experienced domestic violence,

sexual assault or childhood abuse. Access to counselling

is oten a key component o womens saety plans;

assisting women to explore the dynamics o violence and

the impact o trauma on their lives. Our team supported

216 women, an increase o 33% compared to last year.

Our increased capacity was due to new strategies includ-

ing a Student Counselling Clinic and a nine week drop-in

psycho-education group. Currently, there are 201 women

awaiting this important service.

Working closely with our Victim Service teams, we

placed an increased emphasis on screening women in

crisis who were either at high-risk o repeat violence orexperiencing complex post-traumatic stress responses

signiicantly impacting their daily unctioning and saety.

As a result the program provided immediate counselling

to 19 at-risk women.

To support more women impacted by violence, our team

expanded its scope to provide counselling to women who

received inancial compensation through the Crime Victim

Assistance Program.

housing and income clinicWomen leeing domestic violence need money or

ther means o inancial support in order to obtain ood,

othing and shelter. In partnership with Newton

dvocacy Group, our housing and income clinic

upported an increased number o low-income women

ith chronic health issues apply or disability beneits,

ubsidized housing and rental assistance.

Many o these women were victims o domestic violence

ving in poverty in need o ood, clothing, shelter and

ther basic necessities. Our team also assists women

nvolved in tenancy disputes by providing inormation

bout their legal rights and representation in arbitrations.

amily law clinicn partnership with Access Pro Bono Society, our amily

aw clinic provides proessional lawyers who oer ree

egal inormation to victims o domestic violence and

buse who cannot aord a lawyer and are ineligible or

egal aid. Almost 300 women sought legal support on

ssues such as child custody and access, guardianship,

eparation and divorce.

he need has grown exponentially as cuts to legal aid

mean an increasing number o women are orced to

epresent themselves in amily law matters, including

ustody and access disputes. Without legal counsel

women are accepting unsae custody and access

rrangements and unair inancial support and asset

ivision agreements.

8


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In partnership with the Forensic Nursing Services at

Surrey Memorial Hospital, our Sexual Assault Response

Team provided 24-hour crisis services or victims o

domestic violence, sexual assault and human traick-

ing during the 2010 Olympic Games. During the project,

our victim support workers accompanied women to the

hospital immediately ater an assault to receive urgent

medical treatment and in some cases, the collection

o orensic evidence to assist in the investigation and

prosecution o a criminal oence. In the atermath o an

assault, we helped women navigate complex medical,

legal and social service systems in order to increase their

saety and available supports.

The results o the project indicate that an unprecedented

number o women and girls accessed Surrey Memorial

Hospital during the 2010 Winter Games. The ollowing

groups were most likely to seek medical treatment:

Aboriginal women and girls 33%

Youth 18%

Street level sex workers 23%

Consistent with the most recent victimization data,

these groups were more likely to sustain serious and/

or lie threatening injuries as a result o t he assault. In

addition, they were also more likely to have experienced

early, repeat or prolonged experiences o trauma; and to

present with complex post traumatic stress responses

including dissociation, substance use, sel-injury and

suicidal ideation.

Based on the results o this project, Surrey Womens

Centre is partnering with the Forensic Nursing Servicesat Surrey Memorial Hospital and many other community

agencies to create the Surrey Mobile Assault Response

Team that will continue to provide 24-hour crisis services

or victims o domestic violence and sexual assault

accessing the emergency department at Surrey

Memorial Hospital.

sexual assault response team

pro

jects Recognizing that the safety of women

and children depends on the effective

coordination of medical, legal and social

service sectors, our efforts build on the

strengths and capacity for change at both

the individual and community level.

At Surrey Womens Centre, we create

a multi-sectoral response that includes

a broad range of formal and informal

partnerships among key stakeholders

working with both victims and offenders.

0

south asian income andhousing projectIn partnership with the Ministry o Social

this project increased knowledge o and a

income assistance or South Asian wome

leeing violence. We helped over 350 wom

apply or inancial assistance as well as t

and aordable housing. In addition, to ex

to income assistance, the project also as

apply or BC Housing ensuring priority ho

or victims o domestic violence and:

Trained local service providers to increa

level o knowledge about the beneits a

women leeing violence;

Developed a series o hand-outs or vict

o domestic violence and their advocate

Launched the use o the Ministry o SocDevelopments new online application s

Approximately 30% of women who use our services are So


12/15

Decreasing the prevaviolence against women

challenging its acceptanto decrease the incidence

violence, we must make awand prevention a p

Dr. Jay

making a

positivechange

learning opportunities for local service providers

With the support o Mayor Dianne Watts and the Surrey

council, Surrey Womens Centre is partnering with local

residents Alison Soroka and award-winning ilm maker

John Banovich to launch a social media campaign linked

to Facebook and YouTube, titled The Honest Truth. This

social media campaign will raise public awareness about

domestic violence by proiling the murder o Surrey

resident Maria Catroppa, devoted mother o our children

stabbed to death by her husband. Beore her death,

the warning signs o domestic violence were present;

however, her amily did not know that their mother was

in danger. Marias daughters, Jay and Pina will honour

their mothers lie by recounting the tragic circumstances

o her death.

Like many Surrey residents, the Catroppa amily was

unaware o the risk actors t hat increase the likelihood

o serious bodily injury and even death resulting romdomestic violence. The social media campaign includes

an online public service announcement and an interac-

tive website with links to local resources such as Surrey

Womens Centre. The campaign will help women identiy

risk actors or domestic violence and access critical

resources such as the Surrey Womens Centre.

Marias daughter, Jay says, Decreasing the

prevalence o violence against women requires

challenging its acceptance; and to decrease

the incidence o such violence, we must makeawareness and prevention a pr iority.

The public service announcement will be premiered

at the Second Annual Conerence o the Surrey

Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (SCADA) on

November 08, 2011.

a domestic violence social media campaign

the honest

truth

Photo:EdColley,

SurreyNow

As a member o the Surrey Coalition Against Domestic

Abuse Committee, Surrey Womens Centre played an

important role in the planning and delivery o a

conerence or over 150 local service providers entitled:

Making a Positive Change: Understanding and Effectively

Addressing Domestic Abuse.

The key note address was delivered by Dr. Jay Tuason

(above photo), daughter o Maria Catroppa. As part o

her moving tribute to her mother, Jay acknowledged the

support her amily continues to receive rom Surrey

Womens Centre. The committee will hos

conerence titled: Making a Positive Chan

the Cycle of Violence for Children and Yo

November 8, 2011.

The Surrey Coalition Against Domestic Ab

alls under the City o Surreys CommuniCrime Reduction Strategy. The committe

community organizations such as Surrey

that work towards ending violence agains

22


13/15

thank

you

a special thank youSurrey Womens Centre thanks everyone

who continued to demonstrate their

unwavering support o women and children

leeing violence. Your git, no matter how big

or small, allows us to provide critical services

or women and children leeing violence. We

grateully acknowledge the support o our

key unders including: Ministry o Public

Saety & Solicitor General, United Way

o the Lower Mainland, Department o

Justice Canada, Coast Capital Savings and

Vancouver Foundation. Thank you!

To the loved ones of Maria Catroppa

who made contributions to SurreyWomens Centre in lieu of flowers at

the request of the family. The gifts we

received honoured the life of Maria by

helping us to help others. On behalf of

the board, staff and volunteers at Surrey

Womens Centre we thank the Catroppa

Family for their ongoing efforts to help

others in Marias memory.

in closingLastly, our work would not be possible without

the passion and commitment o our board,

sta and volunteers. As another year comes

to an end, we want to extend a very special

thank you to our board, sta and volunteers.

The accomplishments o the past year would

not have been possible without their ongoing

commitment, participation and support.

Surrey Womens Centres board o directors

played a pivotal role in our continued success.

They provided the str ategic vision, leadership

and guidance necessary or us to achieve

our goals. Their commitment to ensuring t hat

Surrey Womens Centre continues to open

doors or women, children and amilies has

challenged us to think big and exceed our

own expectations.

At Surrey Womens Centre, we are especially lucky to have the caliber of staff that we do.

I wish to acknowledge their extensive knowledge, skills and experience. Throughout the

last year, our staff remained committed to our mission and persevered in spite of constant

change and increasing demands to do more with less. Their unwavering commitment to

Surrey Womens Centre, our clients and community helped make our goals a reality.

Each and every day, our volunteers continue to lend a helping hand. They are an

integral part of our team. Committed to making a difference, they have contributed

countless hours to supporting and answering the business line, cataloguing library

books, sorting donations, mailing tax receipts and organizing fundraising activities.

We couldnt do it without you!

Thank you, once again, for your commitment, time and expertise. Sonya

financials

RevenueStopping the Violence Program 127,289

Community Based Victim Services Program 472,448

Gaming 44,992

Fundraising 350,222

United Way 46,127

Interest 2,078

Other Grants and Miscellaneous 77,814

Total Revenue 1,121,510

Expenditures Advertising and promotion 419

Amortization 6,564Bank charges 6,765

Board costs 321

Clinical supervision 9,046

Clothing exchange 4,595

Contract ees and dues 17,847

Facilities charge and security 67,648

Fundraising 222,452

Insurance and licenses 4,759

Ofce 31,950

Photocopier 4,912

Postage 4,943

Proessional development 580

Proessional ees 27,757

Recruitment 1,340

Repairs and maintenance 5,869

Resource materials 85

Support group and special events 416

Telecommunications 8,592

Transportation and mileage 8,778

Utilities 6,415

Volunteer training and development 100

Wages and benefts 679,683

Total Expenditures 1,121,836

Excess (Defciency) o Revenue

over Expenditures (326)

Surplus, Beginning o year 325,597

Surplus, End of year 325,271

4


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We still missed the signs,

ignored the clues and thought

that she and her spouse were

just another normal married

couple. As painful as reliving

what happened to her is for us,

were telling her story so that

other families dont miss the

signs and ignore the clues.

Were telling her story so

that men who murder their

spouses dont get out on bail

or receive lesser charges or

sentences because it was only

a domestic homicide. We cant

bring our mother back,

but we hope that by telling

her story, we can help

prevent this from happening

to other women.

Marias daughter.

maria catroppa1940 - 2009

connie bonsteelpresident

maureen rogers treasurer

louise harasecretary

sonya executive director(picture 13)

leadership

(as of march 31, 2010)

surrey womens centre staff

1

4

2

87

3

5 6

9

10 11 12 13

1 manbeen

2 jamie

3 serena

4 cheryl

5 swarandeep

6 ronnie

7 emma

8 zulaikha

9 angela

10 maryam

11 bridgid

12 corrine

Sta (not pictured) ashly, brenda, donna, joy, mia, kathleen, pardeep, karin, jenna, ravin, s amantha, sandeep,

heena, stephanie, teresa, vanessa, yvonne

6


15/15

surrey womens centre po box 33519 central city surrey, british columbia v3t 5r5

support 604 583 1295 ax 604 589 2812 www surreywomencentre ca

women need a safe place togo and to feel valued anddeserving of help. we missethe signs of our motherssituation. we need to learnfrom hers and others storiet is places like the surrey

womens centre that canhelp educate, provide a safe

harbour in the storm andultimately prevent whathappened to our mother

from happening to others.

Documents

2010 2011 SWC Annual Report