Getting to know the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre (DEWC)

Created in 1978 by a group of women who recognized the urgent need for a safe space for women in the Downtown Eastside, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre (DEWC) is now a vital part of our community. We offer a safe, non-judgmental environment for women, including cis, trans, and Two-Spirit individuals who live and/or work in the neighbourhood. 

 

Providing safety to 1,200 women of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside every day 

Across our five, low-barrier sites, we provide a wide range of supports and services, from basic needs like meals and safe washrooms, to counselling, housing outreach, sexual assault response, mental health advocacy, and culturally specific programming for Indigenous women and Chinese seniors. DEWC also operates two, 24-hour emergency shelters for women experiencing homelessness, offering a total of 100 beds, 365 days a year. Every day, more than 1,200 women access our services. 

  

While the Downtown Eastside can be a place with a strong sense of community for many who live and work here, it is also, unfortunately, a place where especially women and fem-presenting individuals experience extreme violence, including sexual assaults, at alarming rates. A recent survey of 50 women experiencing homelessness found that 100% reported feeling unsafe, and 100% had experienced violence and/or sexual assault. 

 

Although the challenges faced by women in the Downtown Eastside are immense, DEWC is committed to offering a sanctuary where women can feel safe, respected, and supported. We support women who struggle with mental wellness and/or problematic substance use, who are low income, may have disabilities, and do sex work. We support women who face multiple barriers to accessing “traditional public services” and who experience racism, ableism, marginalization, as well as other forms of oppression, every day. Our goal is to provide a space where women can rest, eat, shower, and access the support they need to move out of survival.

  

We believe all women have the knowledge, skills and experience they need to make the decisions that are right for them. Our role is to offer safety, support, encouragement, and the tools they need to make positive changes in their lives. 

 

Learn about the impact of our services on the lives of the women we serve https://dewc.ca/stories/ 

 

Grateful for Crofton House School’s students, parents and staff 

This work would not be possible without the support of our incredible community of supporters.  

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We would like to thank the parents and students at Crofton House School from the bottom of our hearts for their tireless work on the Winter Bazaar and throughout the year! We are so grateful for the efforts you have all been doing in the past years to provide clothing, yummy snacks and financial donations and in co-building an intergenerational connection program with the Chinese Seniors. We are so grateful for this partnership and all the support we receive from the Crofton School House community.

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See you at the Winter Bazaar!