COCHRANE—Big Hill Haven Emergency Women’s Shelter is asking the community to donate used cellphones that will be distributed to its clientele, the organization announced on Facebook on Monday (July 6).
The cellphones will offer women and families a “safe and secure way” to communicate with services like Big Hill Haven or emergency services, said Fund Development and Public Relations Officer Tara McFadden.
“It’s giving them a means of communication to reach out for help. It’s giving them away to safely reach out and call 911,” she said.
In domestic abuse situations, the perpetrator of the violence may monitor means of communication. One of the most powerful tools available to an abuser is isolation.
McFadden said that the cellphones are a way for Big Hill Haven to offer a discreet means of reaching out for help.
“We want to make sure that any of our clientele or anybody that needs our help is safe, and it’s best that they have a way that can’t be tracked,” she said. “It can be quite frightening, the number of ways that people can creatively keep track of or control their spouse or family member.”
Right now, in the midst of the pandemic, the donations are more important than ever, McFadden said. During these times, if you’re living with your abuser it can be very difficult to reach out for help. The total lack of distance means abusers are able to keep a closer eye on means of communication, like phones, laptops or tablets.
Minister for Women and Gender Equality Maryam Monsef said in April, after consultations between her department and front-line services, it was discovered that instances of domestic violence increased as much as 30 per cent in some regions in Canada during the COVID-19 lockdown. She noted in an interview with the CBC at that time that one shelter in Toronto saw a 400 per cent increase in reports.
“Certainly, during the COVID lockdown, people are more isolated than ever before. This is one of our tools, being able to help women in having a safe way to ask for help, and to help reduce those barriers in asking for help,” she said.
If you’re in need of help, Big Hill Haven can do just that. They can be reached via phone at 403-796-6564, or via a live chat at bighillhaven.com.
“If they’re in immediate need of help always call 911. But Big Hill Haven is here to help women and families dealing with domestic or family violence in Cochrane and the rural area around us,” McFadden said.
She added they hope to see roughly 50 phones donated over the course of a year. Given the history of Cochranite’s generous spirit, she sounded confident that they could hit that figure.
“Cochrane and area have been so supportive of everything we’re trying to do—to keep women safe and to lead healthy lives—and this is another way they can help.”
The phones can be dropped off in a box located at Cochrane Floors and More, at 471 1st St. West. They are asking that the phones be in good shape and that all donations be accompanied by a charger for the device.
