Need Help Now? 24-hour Crisis Line: 306-445-2742 or 911 | EXIT SITE
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Need Help Now?

How Battlefords Interval House Can Help You

Battlefords Interval House is a shelter for women and their children who are leaving circumstances of
violence and abuse. We believe that everyone deserves to live a life free from violence. We provide…

  • A safe emergency shelter
  • Counselling for you and your children
  • Help to find safe, affordable housing
  • Help to establish a safety plan
  • Referrals to community resources
  • Family based activities and celebrations
  • Advocacy
  • Support as you heal and plan for the future

Am I Experiencing Violence or Abuse?

No one has the right to hurt, control, or frighten you. You deserve to live free from violence and abuse. What is happening to you is not your fault, and you did not cause it.

Violence and abuse can take many forms and may be carried out by a partner, family member, caregiver, or someone else in your life. The following are some common signs of violence or abuse:

  • Being frightened of someone’s temper or reactions
  • Being afraid to disagree or express your opinions
  • Having to justify everything you do, where you go, or who you see
  • Having your phone taken or being questioned about who you talk to
  • Being prevented from leaving the house or seeing others
  • Being isolated from family, friends, work, or community support
  • Having your children or pets hurt or threatened
  • Being forced to have sex
  • Being forced to use drugs or drink alcohol against your will
  • Having your feelings ignored, minimized, or dismissed
  • Being constantly criticized, insulted, or called names
  • Being humiliated in public or in private
  • Being refused help when you are sick or injured
  • Having all the money controlled
  • Being locked out of your home
  • Being monitored, checked on, or controlled in your movements or activities
  • Being blamed for the abuse that occurs
  • Being manipulated or subjected to mind games
  • Being threatened with harm to you, your children, your family, or with a weapon
  • Being pushed, shoved, or having objects thrown at you
  • Being hit, choked, punched, bitten, slapped, or kicked

If any of these situations feel familiar, or if something does not feel right in your relationship or home, you may be experiencing violence or abuse.

You are not alone. Support is available. Consider reaching out to someone who can help.

Call Battlefords Interval House

What to Expect

During your stay, our crisis workers will help you to:

  • Understand your experiences of violence and abuse and support your healing;
  • Understand the effects that violence and abuse may have on your children;
  • Work with you to find ongoing income and safe, affordable housing;
  • Advocate and refer you to outside agencies that can support you as you move forward independently; and
  • Identify your strengths, coping tools, and personal resources to support you moving forward with a positive mindset.


The Getting Out Guide will help you identify the signs of violence and abuse and explore ways to leave an unsafe situation.

The Getting Out Guide will help you identify the signs of an abusive relationship and how to leave a dangerous situation.
Click here for your Getting Out Guide

Create a Safety Plan

Leaving a situation of violence or abuse is a difficult decision. You may experience conflicting emotions. For example, you may want the abuse to stop but still care about the person causing harm. You might feel scared, helpless, or feel that you deserve the abuse. You might feel embarrassed to admit that what is happening is unsafe. It can be hard to recognize or talk about violence and abuse, but seeking help is important.

Your safety plan is your guide to leaving an unsafe situation. Your safety plan should include what you will take with you, where you can go, and who you can contact for help. While you should try to make your safety plan as solid as possible, leave some room for flexibility in case the situation changes. Sometimes things come up at the last minute. Having a backup plan and leaving room for change can make things easier.

Carry in your wallet originals or copies of all the cards you normally use:

  • Social Insurance Number (SIN) documentation
  • Credit cards
  • Phone card
  • Bank cards
  • Health cards
  • Status card or other Indigenous identification
Try to keep your wallet, purse, or bag handy containing:
  • Keys for your home, car, workplace, safe deposit box, etc.
  • Cheque book, bank books/statements
  • Driver’s licence, registration, insurance
  • Address/telephone book
  • Pictures of important people, including your children
  • Emergency money (in cash) hidden away
  • Cell phone and charger
  • Extra medications and a list of medications and their dosages

Have a suitcase available so you can quickly pack the following items:

  • Clothing for you and your children
  • Special toys and/or comforts for your children
  • Medications
  • Jewelry and items of special sentimental value
  • A list of other items you would like to take if you get a chance to return to your home to collect more belongings later

If you have pets, gather items you will need for their care:

  • Crate or kennel
  • Leash and collar
  • Food and water bowls
  • A small amount of food if possible (especially if your pet is on a special diet)
  • Any special toy or bedding that your pet enjoys
  • Pet licence or something to prove ownership of the animal

Make a photocopy of the following items and store in a safe place, away from the originals. Hide the originals someplace else, if you can.

  • Passports, birth certificates, Indian/First Nations status cards, citizenship papers, immigration papers, permanent resident or citizenship cards, etc., for all family members
  • Driver’s licence, vehicle registration, insurance papers
  • Prescriptions, medical, and vaccination records for all family members
  • School records
  • All income assistance documentation
  • Marriage certificate, divorce papers, custody documentation, court orders, protection orders, or other legal documents
  • Lease/rental agreement, house deed, mortgage documents
  • Open a bank account in your own name and instruct the bank not to phone you. Access the statement online or arrange for it to be sent to a different location, such as to a trusted friend or family member.
  • Store documents in a safe deposit box at a bank that the person causing harm does not go to.
  • Save and set aside as much money as you can (e.g., take a bit of change out of grocery money if/when possible).
  • Hide extra clothing, keys, money, etc., at a friend/family member’s house.
  • Decide where you are going to go and how you will get there (e.g., by taxi or getting a ride from a friend).
  • If you use mobility devices or other equipment to accommodate a disability, consider where you can rent or borrow any needed items.
  • Connect with an agency that can help you by contacting 211 Saskatchewan.
  • If you call 911 from a landline, you can leave the phone off the hook after you have dialed the number and the police will come to your location. This can be particularly useful if you have any communication difficulties.
  • A 911 call is free from cell phones and pay phones.
  • Even if the phone is not activated or out of minutes, you can still call 911. However, if you call from a cell phone, the police cannot tell where you are calling from, so be sure to give them your address immediately.
  • If the person causing harm interrupts while you are calling 911, a tip to remember is to speak to the operator in a way that does not alert them. This way you are still able to provide your location.
  • Try to remain on the line until the 911 call-taker tells you it is okay to hang up.
  • Remember: You can call 911 from anywhere on a charged cell phone, even if the phone is not activated or is out of minutes. Always call 911 if you feel you are in danger.


The Safety Planner offers guidance on what to take with you, where you can go, and who you can contact for
help.

The Safety Planner offers guidance on what to take with you, where you can go, and who you can contact for help.

Get Your Safety Planner

Help a Friend

You might think that something as simple as talking to a friend about violence or abuse couldn’t possibly make a difference. But it really does. Just knowing that someone cares enough to ask can break through the wall of isolation that can exist around people experiencing violence and abuse.

If you think a friend may be experiencing violence or abuse, talk to them about it. Listen. Let them know you care. You don’t have to be an expert. You just need to be there.

Ensure you have privacy and will not be distracted or interrupted.

Be honest; tell them about times when you were worried about them. Help them see that what they are going through is not right. Let them know you want to help.

Listen to your friend. Keep in mind that it may be very hard for them to talk about what is happening. Tell them that they are not alone, and that people want to help.

You might say you are willing to just listen, to help her with childcare, or provide transportation as an example.

Do not say, “You just need to leave.” Instead, say something like, “I am worried about your safety.” Tell them you understand that their situation is very difficult.

Safety planning includes picking a place to go and packing essential items.

Offer to help find a local shelter or support service. Offer to go with them to the shelter, the police, or court.

Your friend may decide to stay, or they may leave and then go back many times. It may be hard for you to understand, but people stay in unsafe situations for many reasons. Be supportive, no matter what your friend decides to do.

It is important for them to stay connected with friends, family, work, and community supports.

Even after leaving, they may feel sad and lonely and may need your help getting services from agencies or community groups.

The choice is theirs, and your job is to support them and respect their decision.