Welcome

The Shield of Athena Family Services is a non-profit community based organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and children victims of conjugal and family violence, particularly those coming from ethnic and Anglophone communities. The Shield offers services in a wide variety of languages and uses an approach which is both culturally and linguistically attuned to the needs of the ethnic communities. With one office in Laval and the other in Montreal, it is involved in three core activities:

• Specialized, multilingual, services for victims available at the Montreal and Laval offices

• The Shelter (Athena’s House) provides a multilingual, safe and empowering environment for women and their children victims of family violence

• Multilingual services for communities which informs communities in their language of origin on various topics related to family and conjugal violence

 

Emergency Shelter: Athena’s House

 

Athena's House

Since opening its doors in 2004, Athena’s House has offered services to women and their children who are victims of conjugal or family violence and who are in difficulty. We provide emergency housing in a safe and empowering environment. Residents replenish their strength and develop—with the help of experienced professionals—longer-term strategies for survival and success for themselves and their children. About 150 women and children use the shelter per year.

All our services are linguistically and culturally attuned to the needs of the clientele.

Languages spoken: Armenian, Creole, English, Farsi, French, Greek, Italian, Romanian and Spanish. We also have professionals on call for Turkish, Urdu and Arabic.

We are non-denominational and we respect individual religious practices and dietary restrictions within the limits of reasonable accommodation. Our cook makes every effort to meet special dietary requests and prepares balanced, healthy food according to Canada’s Food Guide.

Athena’s House accommodates young children.

After women leave the shelter, they and their children can receive follow-up services from both our Montreal and Laval offices.

Services in the shelter include:

  • Individual consultations
  • Legal clinic
  • Information sessions
  • Economic assistance
  • Advocacy and accompaniment
  • Referrals and Support
  • Art therapy
  • Information sessions on parenting, conjugal violence and legal issues.

 

Information Sessions

Athena’s House offers information sessions in English and French lasting approximately two hours to a minimum of 3 residents on different aspects of conjugal violence. These sessions allow residents to speak about their experiences while trained professionals explain police procedures and existing resources available to victims of family violence. To view the demonstration DVD produced by the Shield of Athena on police procedure and existing resources, click here.