Willow Place is a registered Canadian charity confidentially and securely located in Winnipeg and serving Manitobans dealing with family violence and abuse. Willow Place offers 24-H crisis supports by phone, text, and live chat. Any person, of any culture or gender, can contact Willow Place 24-H for support or with questions about our services.
Call: 204-615-0311
Text: 204-813-8887
Live Chat: visit www.willowplaceshelter.ca and click on the IZZY icon
Manitoba violence prevention resource line: 1-877-977-0007
Family violence is a term used by Willow Place, rather than domestic violence. Family violence captures a wide range of experiences including intimate partner violence, elder abuse, gender-based violence and relational violence. There is not always a single abuser or a single victim, and those experiencing violence are not always intimate partners. Unfortunately, violence occurring in a variety of close personal and family relationships is commonplace. Our team regularly supports individuals and families with complex situations of family violence, with more than one abuser, and with more than one victim.
Although Willow Place serves all cultures and genders, the majority of those we support on our crisis lines, in outreach programs and in our protective shelter program are Indigenous women and children (average of 60% of participants). Willow Place also sees significant numbers of diverse Newcomer populations (15-20%). Females of all cultures are over-represented within family violence, a global human rights issue that is also seen Canada-wide. Women and girls most-commonly experience violence in close personal and family relationships, not from strangers. For women in Manitoba and world-wide, home too often can become a place of danger.
Manitoba consistently ranks among the highest rates of family violence per capita in Canada, most often in the top three provinces. For this reason, family violence prevention resources are essential to support community wellbeing. Willow Place is part of a provincial network of supportive organizations who focus on violence prevention. Among this network, there are ten regionally located shelters, and four federal, Indigenous culture shelters. Each year, Willow Place supports account for a majority of crisis and shelter supports in this network. In the 2025-2026 fiscal year, Willow Place provided 40% of family violence shelter in Manitoba, operating at 122% of capacity.
For this reason, Willow Place is mostly known for the 24-H crisis lines and short-term protective shelter programs. Whether individuals plan to leave a relationship, stay in a relationship, or if they are unsure of their plans, supports are available. Willow Place staff use trauma-informed, person-centered approaches to support program participants, working non-judgmentally and with cultural sensitivity.
Willow Place shelter program staff also use safety planning, which varies depending on the individual or family’s situation and other personal factors. Some things that might be part of a safety plan include learning to recognize the escalation of violence, keeping a cell phone charged, having copies of ID safely stored with a trusted person, avoiding isolation, and using safe words to let trusted supports know when they are in need of help.
Violence and abuse have many forms, and although most people will recognize physical violence, they may not be aware of emotional, spiritual, and financial abuse as harmful. It is common for victims to experience several kinds of violence and abuse at the same time. Violence and abuse also tend to worsen and become more frequent over time. Violence and abuse may occur in a cyclical pattern, or they can be very unpredictable.
Sadly, not all violence can be prevented or predicted, but often there are early warning signs. Recognizing unhealthy behaviours can help individuals to seek support or distance themselves before the situation becomes dangerous. Some examples of early warning signs include constant criticism and put-downs; threats by abuser/s to harm themselves, others or pets; controlling assets and finances; taking loans or maxing out credit using partner’s name; using children to manipulate or threaten, stalking and surveillance, and isolating the victim from family and friends.
All Willow Place services are provided at no cost and are confidential. Services are available for men and male-identifying individuals. Males are not housed at our main shelter, but through community partnerships and alternate accommodation (hotel stay supported by the Province of Manitoba).
Willow Place’s community team also provides free, in-person or virtual public education presentations and discussion groups on a variety of topics.
Contact Pam at 204-615-0313, ext. 237 or Kimi at 204-615-0313, ext. 245 with inquiries or to book your group.
By Pam Hadder, Community Supervisor, Willow Place
