Blog

No one wants to spend the holidays in a shelter; however, it’s a reality that many women and children who are fleeing domestic abuse will face this year. Eve...

Read part one or part two Previously, we heard about how Brianna left an abusive relationship with Ryan and escaped to IHO with her infant son, Jackson. At I...

Long story short, life didn’t happen the way I planned it. The years I spent with my abusive partner was the most difficult years of my life. I was depressed...

Home is a safe retreat for many of us. But for some, home is a place of violence and fear. Amanda met her ex-partner when he was in Ottawa for work. She move...

Read part one Last time we heard about Brianna's abusive relationship with Ryan and how she escaped to IHO with her infant son, Jackson. And now her story co...

My story started like so many others. I was young when I fell in love with Ryan. He loved me so much. He showered me with gifts and attention. It seemed norm...

My story of healing started five years ago when I called Interval House of Ottawa (IHO). I had started to realize that things weren't right in my relationshi...

Alissa had to leave a rabbit behind when she fled her abusive partner. She said her daughter cries over the bunny — but nothing else. "It was harder to leave...

Jennifer has a dog named Daisy, a senior who is 13 years old. Daisy has been with Jennifer her whole life. Every morning, Jennifer wakes up to Daisy's cold n...

Just wanted to thank you all for being there in a very critical time in our life you have helped us more than you will ever know. You made me see that there ...

If only you walked one day on my feet Felt the pain when my heart skipped a beat Felt the pain that I feel then you'd realize these emotions are real. What i...

When I walked away from him it was the best thing I did for myself. Walking, and wondering where I was going, if space was available at a friend's place that...

Another set of bags Packed and ready to go Another empty room Filled with the sound Of our anguish Walls bare Boxes and suitcases Carrying the stories of our...

Recently, 12 year old Brianne was assigned a homework project to build a drum with materials found at home and present it to her class the following day. In ...

Yesterday everything and everyone was perfect, yesterday everything made perfect sense, and I knew there was nothing to worry about, yesterday I had no fear,...

Maria and her husband came to Canada in 2009 without any friends or relatives. Maria was isolated without support systems in a new country and immersed in a ...

For many of us, family and home are where we feel safe. For some women and children, this is not so. Violence against women occurs every day at an alarmingly...