START – Support Team for Abuse Response Today

COVID-19 Update: YWCA Peterborough Haliburton support and crisis services for women who experience violence are still available. Crossroads Shelter, HERS – Haliburton Emergency Rural SafeSpace and our 24 Hour Support & Crisis Line remain open.

While our offices are closed to the public, our support teams are working remotely and will continue to provide assistance by phone, text and email during regular business hours (Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm). View our full update here.

START is a walk-in service hub, available every Monday at the YWCA (216 Simcoe Street, Peterborough), for women who have questions about the safety of their relationship or who would like to find ways to move forward.

START helps women quickly gather reliable information from as many as 12 local agencies at one central location. Once equipped with the right resources and support, women can make better-informed decisions based on their personal situations.

START also helps ease the chaos women and children experience in the aftermath of a separation by connecting mothers with income supports, housing information and counselling services right away.

Our Free Confidential Services Include:

Women have access to any and all services, based on their individual needs.

Partnering Agencies:

Learn more:

Our programs rely on donor funding for their operation. As government and other agency funding is decreasing, the demand for our services is increasing. To find out more about how you can help bridge this gap and change the lives of countless women and children in our communities, please contact us.