Roughly seven women per day have found a safe place to live thanks to an app launched by Calgary domestic violence support partners.

Recently, since the program expansion last March, it’s been put in the hands of Calgary police beat officers to help build on that success.

ShelterLink is an application that is used by CPS officers, YW Calgary and Fear Is Not Love employees that connects victims of domestic abuse with a safe shelter or offers support to those who are feeling at risk of abuse.

The application was created for instant access to crucial spaces and creating a process that made it easy to get into contact with the most conveniently located and equipped space to deal with the matters at hand, according to Talia Bell, Chief Programs and People Officer of YW Calgary. It allows the user to immediately determine the capacity at various shelters.

“The initial response has been great, and I think a lot of the reason for us developing this app was because we know there have been barriers and we know that space is immediately needed in certain instances,” said Bell. 

“This was really about how do we ensure that there’s no wrong door to open and that the immediate lens on what’s available is there.”

Crisis line is an entry point

YW Calgary and FearIsNotLove share a crisis line that is in constant communication 24/7 and receives calls that vary based on the domestic abuse situation.

“On average, we see probably 2,000 to 3,000 calls per month come through, a great thing is that now we also have a coordinated response that can ensure that people are getting the right support,” said Bell.

Calls related to domestic abuse come from all quadrants of the cities and different kinds of neighbourhoods. The topic is not always based on domestic abuse alone. 

“Not everybody requires a shelter space. A lot of people need safety planning, they need outreach support, perhaps it’s counseling, and so, we’ve been able to navigate that and really understand what is needed in terms of space in this community,” said Bell.

ShelterLink receives over 20,000 calls annually based on shelters in Calgary and the surrounding area. Currently, 15 shelters are using ShelterLink, said Bell. 

The application is looking to expand into a couple of shelters in Edmonton and YW Calgary and FearIsNotLove is also working with Alberta Health Services as well, as emergency rooms are often the first choice of support. 

As the application continues to grow in its outreach programs and offer support in various domestic abuse situations, the team at YW Calgary and FearIsNotLove are continuing to make ShelterLink a success.

“We’re driving towards using data to make those decisions, which I think just helps us have a better community, a safer community, and one that’s responsive to need,” said Bell. 

If you need help in a domestic abuse situation or know someone who does, you can call the YW crisis line at 403-266-0707.