Dixon Transition Society is a refuge for women and children fleeing domestic violence, and the service they provide changes lives. They offer emergency shelter and counselling, as well as the emotional and practical support women need to transition to independence.

I had the opportunity to visit them a couple of weeks ago, and I was particularly impressed by what they do and how well they are organized, because I worked as a volunteer at a transition home 35 years ago in Ontario. We’ve come a long way since then. Remember when male federal MPs laughed at Margaret Mitchell in parliament when she asked government to do more to stop violence against women?

Today transition houses are government-funded. The police are trained to take women seriously when they’re called to intervene in domestic disputes. Women are less likely to be stigmatized when they leave violent relationships, and girls are more equipped to someday support themselves economically.

Yes, we’ve come a long way since the 1980s, but we still have a long way to go. Dixon Transition Society alone serves more than 550 women and children every year, but they turn away more than 1,100 every year for lack of space.

It is important that we turn a bright light on the many ways that women experience violence and vulnerability in our society today.