As Clasina van Bemmel prepared to cut into the Howe Sound Women Centre’s 35th anniversary cake, she couldn’t help but reflect on her own life. Friday, Oct. 7, also marked the philanthropist’s 72nd birthday.
Like most of the members at the women’s centre, van Bemmel has seen society take strides toward equality. As a teenager in a village south of Munich, Germany, the police did nothing but casually question her father after she reported that he’d beaten her. Today officials take those types of calls very seriously, van Bemmel says, a look of relief spreading across her face. People are more aware of violence against women and the need for equality, but there’s still a ways to go, van Bemmel notes.
Affordable, safe housing is a huge key to the puzzle. That’s why van Bemmel donated $35,000 to the centre. Along with $22,427 raised by the community in honour of the centre’s birthday, some of the money will go toward furthering the organizations pursuit of safe, affordable housing for women and their children
In 1993, with the help of a provincial grant, the women’s centre was able to rent a two-bedroom apartment with paid staff. This unit later grew into a three-bedroom house that the society purchased – Pearl’s Place Transition House. The house offers short-term shelter for women and children throughout the Sea to Sky Corridor escaping abuse.
The centre also has two units for longer-term housing, but it desperately needs more, the centre’s executive director Megan Reynolds said. Officials estimate 16 long-term units are required at the moment, she noted.
“We have got a waitlist,” Reynolds said.
The centre is working with other partners, such as BC Housing, to hopefully come up with a long-term solution. The low rental vacancy rate in Squamish and high prices have further highlighted the need for more affordable, long-term options, Reynolds said.
“We see women coming in daily,” she said regarding those on the hunt for housing.
With so much uncertainty around finding housing, often women decide to stay in an abusive relationship for fear of ending up on the streets. The women’s centre of tomorrow will be at the forefront of changing this, Reynolds noted. The society is a member of the Innovative Housing Solutions Group in Squamish that has taken up the torch in looking at such issues.
“Women and their children continue to face great challenges, including violence in relationships, sexualized violence, unsafe housing, gender bias, systemic barriers and archaic systems that don’t reflect the needs of women who actively and equally participate in society.”
Moving forward, Squamish Coun. Susan Chapelle said she would like to see upper levels of government stepping up to the table with more funding.
“The program in here is essential to our community operating as a whole,” she said. “We are lucky to have such strong support but we need so much more.”
