iouse

IT SEEMS appropriate that Emily
Murphy House, the first and only
transition house on the North Shore
for women and children fleeing
violence, moves into its new home
during Anti-Violence Week (April
23-29).

By Roxanne Davies
Contributing Writer

Over the years, this transition
house has helped thousands of peo-
ple who have experienced the sad-
ness and terror of the dark side of
family life.

It first opened its doors in 1979,
after a group of North Shore
women saw the need for an emer-
gency shelter..Over the years, the

services of the North Shore Crisis ,

Services Society (NSCSS), which
administers Emily Murphy House
have greatly expanded — and so
has the need for those services.

Last year, 828 women and chil-
dren were denied shelter due to a
lack of space. For every person the
house could shelter. two had to be
turned away.

All that will change now with
the new house, which expands its
bed capacity from 10 to 18. One
bedroom can easily accommodate a

m transiti
Emily Murphy finds a new N. Shore home

mother and five’ children, which
would have been impossible in the
old house.

“We're very pleased the Capital
Campaign went so well and we
appreciate all the help we received
from the community,” said Carol
Ward-Hall, executive director of
NSCSS. “Our volunteers have dec-
orated the house beautifully yet
very economically. [t's such a
change from the old house. This is
a special place. It shows a family in
trouble that society cares about
what happens to them.”

The new house is also whiecl-
chair accessible. Research has
shown that women with disabilities
are four times as likely to suffer
abuse as the able-bodied.

Ward-Hall is _ particularly
pleased that they now have space
for a greatly expanded children’s
program. Children ure often the
overlooked victims of the abuse
their mother suffers.

“In the old house, our children’s
program office was in a renovated
closet,” Ward-Ha!! «:plained.

Children at the sew house will
be looked after by volunteers and
counsellors in a large, airy room
with comfortable furniture and
appropriately sized tables and
chairs for doing homework or arts

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IN YOUR SUNDAY ©

_ NORTH SHORE NEWS, APRIL 30
Compliments. of

COURSE LOCATION
150 E. 2nd St., North Vancouver

and crafts.

Although the exact location of
the house remains a closely guard-
ed secret to guarantee the safety of
the residents, Ward-Hall believes
the issue of violence against
women in relationships should not
be concealed from public view.

“Violence against women cross-
es all boundaries — cultural, reli-
gious, economic, social. Our new
shelter provides free services for a
woman in need. It will be a place of
new beginnings, whether a woman
chooses to go home and try again
or goes out on her own, every
woman leaves here with a new
hope of a better life — a violence-
free life.”

Although the official two-year
Capital Campaign’ to - raise
$500,000 formally ended this
month, NSCSS still needs to raise
$50,000 to meet its original goal.
Tax-deductible donations can be
mailed to North Shore Crisis
Services Society, 3095 Lonsdale
Ave., North Vancouver, B.C. V7N
3J6. For more information, phone
987-1773.

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