Media Advisory

First Shelter for Male Domestic Abuse Victims Will Open in Toronto

March 20, 2018

Justin Trottier, Executive Director
Canadian Centre for Men and Families
jtrottier@menandfamilies.org
416-402-8856

A capital campaign hosted by prominent men’s issues charity Canadian Centre for Men and Families (CCMF) has raised a quarter of a million dollars to open Toronto’s first family shelter for men and children who have experienced domestic abuse. This will make Toronto the first metropolitan city in North America with such a facility.

Thousands of Canadian men experience domestic abuse each year, only to be revictimized when they are denied access to shelters or other crisis services. Many face suspicion, shame and even the possibility of arrest should they report the incident to police.

Now Toronto will take a major step toward gender equality by opening the first family shelter for male victims of domestic abuse, accepting both single men and fathers with children.

The project received a grant from the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation, funded by the Toronto Real Estate Board, and was also supported by thousands of individual contributors.

“We hope the city and the province will come on board after having seen the public support that has rallied to this cause,” said CCMF Executive Director Justin Trottier. “From the beginning, we’ve been building partnerships with government and social service agencies, including advocates working to end violence against women, in order to jointly address major gaps in victim support services, which include services for men as well as for victims in same-sex relationships.”

CCMF has been operating a thriving men’s health and social service facility, the Canadian Centre for Men and Families, for over three years in Toronto. The charity opened a sister office in Ottawa this past fall.

Information on the Campaign is available at https://menandfamilies.org/family-shelter-for-abused-men-and-children/