Founded in 1991, the Shield of Athena is a non-profit organization working with women and children who are victims of domestic and family violence. Our organization offers specialized prevention, intervention, and support services, serving nearly 1,000 women and their children annually. We work from a perspective of women’s empowerment, supporting them in their journey toward regaining control and building a life free from violence. All our services aim to support victims and facilitate their reintegration into society after an experience of domestic or family violence. Furthermore, to meet the needs of the women we work with, our services are culturally and linguistically adapted and available in 15 languages. The Shield’s network includes:
- External services at our Montreal and Laval offices
- A multilingual community outreach department
- A cultural intermediary service
- Emergency accommodation, the House of Athena
Why a microsite about honor-based violence?
Through our service network, we have observed in recent years that the issue of honour-based violence (HBV) is becoming increasingly prevalent . As such, we have conducted extensive research on the subject and established and worked with a committee of health and social service professionals to gain a better understanding of the issue and, at the same time, develop tools to support intervention in such cases.
We want to make these tools available to people who work with victims or potential victims, or anyone else interested in this issue. The content of this microsite will allow you to better understand honor-based violence and access tools that can guide you in some of your interventions.