In Manitoba, the provincially funded emergency interpersonal and family violence shelters are funded by the Manitoba government’s Gender-Based Violence Program (GBVP). Some of the work that MAWS provides is to support the shelters with their database and collecting statistical data.
Data for this summary came from the following shelters:
Agape House – Steinbach, Aurora House – The Pas, Genesis House – Winkler, Ikwe-Widdjiitiwin – Winnipeg, Nova House – Selkirk, Parkland Crisis Centre – Dauphin, Prairie Harbour – Portage la Prairie, Thompson Crisis Centre – Thompson, Willow Place – Winnipeg, and YWCA Westman Women’s Shelter – Brandon.
In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, shelters provided 55,791 bednights plus another 12,792 bednights in interim housing (total 68,583), compared to the 2022-2023 fiscal year, where shelters provided 52,632 bednights plus another 11,135 bednights in interim housing (total 63,767). The term “bednights” refers to each night that a bed is occupied in a shelter, e.g., a Mother with two children = 3 bednights.
Shelters provided service to 2,617 individuals: 1,267 residential women and men, 1,050 residential children, 310 non-residential women and men, 60 non-residential children, 270 follow-up women and men, and 31 follow-up children, compared to last year of 2,964 individuals: 1,431 residential women and men, 1,098 residential children, 388 non-residential women and men, 48 non-residential children, 308 follow-up women and 18 follow-up children.
The average length of stay increased in 2023-2024 to 21 days, up from 13 days in 2022-2023.
Of the residential and interim housing clients, the average stay was 13 nights, and each client participated in an average of 16 counselling sessions, up from an average of 13 counselling sessions last year.
Of the interim residential clients, 36 adults and 58 children resided after leaving the emergency shelter in interim housing units for 12,792 bednights last year.Shelters answered 20,330 crisis line calls compared to last year of 18,774 calls.
Notes:
*Data provided by GBVP (Gender-Based Violence Program, WAGE Manitoba)
*6 shelters provide Interim Housing, which is temporary housing arranged through the shelter to help clients who are unable to find housing. Interim Housing is funded by the FV Shelters.
*”Residential” means clients stayed in either the shelter or a hotel room (based on safety and space available),
*”Non-residential” means a client access services from a shelter but did not live in a shelter or at a hotel,
*”Follow up” means a client previously stayed at a shelter/hotel and has chosen to continue to receive service from the shelter, but is either living on their own or may be staying temporarily in Interim Housing