ONE Action
Providing dignified support for women living with disabilities and domestic violence.
About
ONE Action is here to provide support.
Women with disabilities are vulnerable to domestic violence.
Our goal is to support women with disabilities who face domestic violence and to provide the tools and information necessary to make life-altering changes to their circumstances.
Compassionate, dignified support for women with disabilities facing domestic violence is a priority, not an option. Every action toward accessibility matters.
Recommendations
ONE person can make a difference.
In 2019, the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women funded the Nova Scotia League for Equal Opportunities and Easter Seals Nova Scotia to conduct research on the issue of women with disabilities who experience domestic violence. The goal was to give voice to women with disabilities who have experienced domestic violence.
The project held 12 community sessions across Nova Scotia. We heard first-person stories about violence and survival. Staff from organizations that serve women said they needed to help women with disabilities. ONE Action is a continued effort to support the women whose voices we’ve heard
The Not Without Us report made 13 recommendations based on the stories and ideas that were shared. You can read those recommendations
Actions
How to support women with disabilities who experience domestic violence.
→ Accessibility Audits
Complete accessibility audits of transition houses and women’s resources centres in Nova Scotia.
→ Education and Training
Provide training for police and other frontline service workers on how to help women with disabilities who experienced domestic violence.
→ Community Leadership
Work with local governments and community organizations to remove barriers and create safe spaces.
→ Navigation and Outreach
Ensure women with disabilities have support navigating systems and accessing the supports they need.
→ Home Care
Communicate that home care services can be reassessed as a woman’s living situation changes and continue to build local relationships so that women with disabilities receive the care they need in the location they are in, safely, securely, and with dignity.
→ Accessible Housing
Build more affordable, accessible housing
→ Culturally Responsive Care
Identify and remove accessibility barriers for Black, Indigenous, and other racialized women with disabilities.
Resources
ONE change can save a life.
Join us in learning about and becoming an advocate for women with disabilities experiencing domestic violence
Nova Scotia Accessibility Landscape
Our current accessibility landscape is limited in its ability to support women with a disability overcoming domestic violence.
What is ONE Action?
ONE Action is focused on bringing support to Nova Scotian women with disabilities experiencing domestic violence.
Regional Resources
Accessibility looks different in each community. This is what accessible services are currently available across Nova Scotia.
Additional Resources to Explore
→ Nova Scotia Domestic Violence Resource Centre
Help end the stigma surrounding women with disabilities and understand why they may be more vulnerable to abuse.
→ Prevalence of disabilities in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia has the highest rate of persons with at least one disability compared to other Canadian provinces. Learn more about our disability landscape.
→ Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women – Resource Map
If you are experiencing domestic violence in Nova Scotia, there are resources available to support you. Please refer to our Regional Resources if you are seeking accessible services.
→ DAWN Canada – Identifying abuse
The first step to overcoming abuse is knowing how to identify signs.
→ DAWN Canada – Safety Planning
If you are in a domestic violence crisis, follow these tips to safely plan your exit.
→ DAWN Canada – We can tell and we will (video)
In 2012, the Supreme Court of Canada declared the right for women with disabilities experiencing domestic violence to be believed when they report sexual abuse. This is their voice.
how to
Get Involved
We envision a future where the abilities of persons with disabilities are fully recognized, developed and living as equals in society.
Our initiatives would not be possible without the involvement of First Voice and the cross-sector collaboration from the community, government, and businesses to reach the goal of an accessible and barrier-free province.
Interested in contributing to one of our initiatives, send us a message!