CONFIDENTIAL

EMBARGOED

survivors deserve better.

shelters deserve better.
alberta deserves better.
The 2021-22 ACWS Domestic Violence
Shelter Workforce Survey

Alberta Council of Women's Shelters

02.14.2023
CONTENTS
Land Acknowledgement ............................................................................. 3
About ACWS and the Workforce Survey .................................................... 4
Executive Summary ................................................................................... 5
Systemic Workforce Challenges ................................................................ 7
The Covid-19 Pandemic’s Impact on Survivors ...................................... 7
The Covid-19 Pandemic’s Impact on Staff .............................................. 8
The Covid-19 Pandemic’s Impact on Shelters ........................................ 8
The Demand on Shelters and their Staff ............................................... 10
Inflation................................................................................................. 12
Stagnant Funding..................................................................................... 13
Stagnant Funding ................................................................................. 13
Stagnant Wages ................................................................................... 15
Gender and Racial Pay Disparities ....................................................... 17
The Impact of Stagnant Funding .............................................................. 19
The Impact on Shelters ........................................................................ 19
The Impact on Staff .............................................................................. 22
The Impact on Survivors ....................................................................... 23
Call to Action............................................................................................ 26
Immediate Action .................................................................................. 26
Looking Ahead to 2024-25.................................................................... 26
References .............................................................................................. 28

2
land acknowledgement
ACWS acknowledges the traditional lands upon which we live, work, and play. We recognize
that all Albertans are Treaty people and have a responsibility to understand our history so that
we can learn from the past, be aware of the present, and create a just and caring future. ACWS
celebrates and values the resiliency, successes, and teachings that Indigenous people have
shown us, as well as the unique contributions of every Albertan.

The ACWS office is located on Treaty 6 land in Amiskwacîwâskahikan, which is the traditional
territory of the Plains Cree and an ancient gathering place of many Indigenous peoples for
thousands of years. These lands have also been home to, and a central trading place of, the
Blackfoot, Nakota, Assiniboine, Dene, and the Métis people of western Canada.

We honour the courage and strength of Indigenous women. We honour them as life givers and
care givers as we honour and learn from their continuing achievements, their consistent
strength, and their remarkable endurance.

Our members serve all nations and all peoples. They are located on Treaty 4, 6, 7, and 8 lands
across this province which include the six Métis regions of Alberta.

3
about acws and the workforce survey
The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS) is the provincial organization of domestic
violence shelters in Alberta. We bring four decades of experience and knowledge to serve our
39 members operating over 50 shelters across the province for those facing domestic violence
and abuse. We advocate for ACWS members and work with them to end domestic violence and
abuse through culture-shifting violence prevention programs, collective data and research, and
front-line training. ACWS supports Alberta shelters in delivering their essential services which
provide safety, support families, and improve communities.

Domestic violence and abuse remain serious and urgent problems in Alberta. Collectively, we
are challenging the harmful beliefs and actions that perpetuate domestic violence and abuse in
our communities.

ACWS and our members recognize the need for a skilled, well-supported, and professional
workforce to effectively serve the needs of people fleeing domestic violence and abuse.
Together, we have administered seven surveys on shelter operations, funding, staff
compensation, and working conditions across Alberta’s domestic violence shelters since 2002.
This is ACWS’ eighth Workforce Survey.

The 2021-22 ACWS Workforce Survey was designed using a two-part methodology. (1) In
consultation with ACWS members from across Alberta, ACWS designed a survey for shelter
directors (the Workforce Survey—Shelter Director Version) that collected information about
funding, operational, and staffing issues, in addition to systemic workplace challenges they
report experiencing (including the COVID-19 pandemic). (2) In consultation with shelter staff
from across Alberta, ACWS designed a survey specifically for staff about their experiences
working in the domestic violence shelter sector (the Workforce Survey—Staff Version). This is
the first time that ACWS has included a survey specifically for staff as part of the Workforce
Survey project.

Twenty-nine ACWS members, operating 38 shelters responded to the Workforce Survey—

Shelter Director Version. One hundred and twenty-nine shelter staff responded to the Workforce
Survey—Staff Version. There was strong representation from shelters and staff in every region
in Alberta, and from shelters and staff in both urban and rural communities. All ACWS members
were asked to review and provide feedback on this report before it was finalized, to ensure that
the report accurately reflects their experiences and the information they provided to ACWS.

ACWS thanks everyone who contributed their time and insights to this project. Our work is
enriched by your collective wisdom.

4
executive summary
In 2021/22, ACWS member organizations across the province provided safety and support to
thousands of Albertans experiencing violence and abuse. Between April 1, 2021, and March 31,
2022, our members sheltered 7,620 survivors of abuse and gender-based violence1 and their
children (ACWS, 2022). They provided outreach support to 7,303 survivors (ACWS, 2022).
They developed almost 3,000 safety plans with survivors leaving abusive relationships (ACWS,
2022). They provided shelter and life-changing programming to over 3,000 children (ACWS,
2022). And they answered 65,390 calls for support (ACWS, 2022).

This work provides an invaluable

service to Alberta as a whole, but it is
especially valuable to Albertans who
experience high levels of vulnerability
and marginalization, and who are at
high risk of serious and imminent
harm.

Research consistently demonstrates

that in Canada the survivors who are
most likely to access services through
a domestic violence shelter are
survivors who experience severe
forms of violence and abuse, and who
experience systemic barriers and
discrimination based on their identity
(Ansara and Hindin, 2010; Barrett and
St. Pierre, 2011). This research
speaks directly to the frontline
experience of shelters across Alberta.
ACWS research indicates that in
2021-22, over 70% of clients surveyed
had experienced significant exposure
to oppression and marginalization,2

1 ACWS recognizes that not all people who have experienced abuse and gender-based violence identify with the
term “survivor,” and that some people may prefer to describe themselves and their experiences using different terms.
We acknowledge that no term can adequately describe what it means to have experienced violence and abuse. We
have chosen to use “survivor” as a term of respect for people who have experienced abuse or gender-based violence
that emphasizes their personal power, strength, and resiliency. We also honour and respect the choice to be
identified by a different term.
2This information was collected from shelters that use the Measure of Survivor Assessments Illustrating Complexity
(MOSAIC), which is a tool that is used by shelters to better understand how many different circumstances in a
survivor’s life can intersect in ways that intensify their experience of domestic abuse and increase their need for
support as they recover. For more information, see ACWS, 2022.

5
and 72-85% were at severe or extreme risk of being killed by their intimate partner (ACWS,
2022).3

Domestic violence and abuse survivors need highly specialized support from organizations that
have been designed for them and from service providers who have been educated to meet their
needs. For those survivors who do experience high risk of serious and imminent harm,
receiving support from a domestic violence shelter can literally mean the difference
between life and death.

The work domestic violence shelters do is crucial, integral, and necessary for the functioning of
a healthy Alberta, and for the safety and wellbeing of Albertans fleeing violence. In the words of
one survivor, accessing a shelter “was the greatest thing that could ever have happened to
me… They help each and every one of us to get our self-esteem back and teach us how to start
over” (ACWS, 2022, p. 18).

But even as shelters do their best every day to serve Albertans, they are struggling to meet the
increasing demand for services, and their work is often hampered by systemic workforce
challenges that negatively impact the wellbeing of the shelters themselves, the staff they
employ, and the survivors they support. In the past year, shelters have seen increasing
numbers of survivors reaching out for help and increasingly severe and complex cases.
They are navigating this surge in demand in the midst of record-breaking inflation, all-
time highs in staff burnout and turnover rates, and stagnant government funding.

The Government of Alberta has not increased funding for domestic violence shelter staff
wages in nine years, and it has not increased operational funding for eight years. All told,
the total amount of money the government provides to domestic violence shelters has only
increased by 5% since 2015-16. This funding has partially supported additional shelter spaces
across the province, but it in no way matches the demand for shelters, and it has not kept pace
with rising cost of living.

The only exception to this stagnant funding was provincial and federal relief dollars during the
pandemic. The Government of Alberta required that shelters return any unspent funding rather
than allowing them to use those funds as part of a pandemic recovery program.

Shelters deserve better. Survivors deserve better. Alberta deserves better.

This report details the systemic workforce challenges shelters are required to navigate, and it
tells the story of the brave and dedicated people who continue to work on behalf of survivors
even in the face of tremendous obstacles.

3This information was collected from shelters that use the Danger Assessment (DA), which is a validated tool
developed by Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell that has been used by shelters in Alberta for almost two decades. The DA
measures a survivor’s risk of being killed by a current or former partner. Completing the assessment with a shelter
worker is voluntary. It can help survivors understand the danger they are in and make informed decisions about their
safety. For more information, see ACWS, 2022.

6
systemic workforce challenges
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC’S IMPACT ON SURVIVORS
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed extraordinary pressure on survivors of abuse and gender-
based violence, and on the domestic violence shelters that support them. The pandemic has led
to an increase both in cases of domestic violence and abuse and in the severity of domestic
violence and abuse. The United Nations has confirmed the existence of a “shadow pandemic” of
domestic violence and abuse cases that have resulted from, or worsened because of, the
COVID-19 pandemic (United Nations, 2021). According to the UN, 1 in 2 women report that they
or a woman they know has experienced a form of violence since the pandemic began, and 7 in
10 women report that verbal or physical acts of abuse by an intimate partner have increased in
their communities (United Nations, 2021).

The pandemic has also led to an increase in the complexity of domestic violence and abuse
cases. Of the ACWS members who completed the 2021-22 ACWS Workforce Survey, 69%
indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase in the complexity in the
cases of the survivors that their organization serves. In particular, ACWS members report that
as a result of the pandemic, survivors of abuse and gender-based violence have experienced
increased isolation, declining mental health, and reduced service availability. These complex
factors make it more difficult for survivors to successfully leave abusive relationships
and to heal once they have left the abusive relationship, and they increase the need for
support from domestic violence shelters and their staff.

7
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC’S IMPACT ON STAFF
For the domestic violence shelter staff who support survivors of abuse and gender-based
violence, the COVID-19 pandemic has also been a particularly challenging time. Domestic
violence shelter staff served on the front lines of this double pandemic, responding
simultaneously to COVID-19 and gender-based violence. Every ACWS member remained open
during the pandemic and continued to provide a full spectrum of supports for survivors even as
other organizations suspended services or moved them online. Domestic violence shelter
staff worked in-person to support survivors navigating abusive relationships, despite the
risk to their own health, and the health of their families. Some died.

While the government provided multiple programs addressing first responder wellbeing
(including first responders mental health grants, and the Supporting Psychological Health in
First Responders funding), these programs predominantly supported male-dominated
occupations, and shelter staff were excluded from accessing them.

Domestic violence shelter

staff have provided a crucial
service to Albertans
throughout the pandemic, but
this service has taken a toll
on the wellbeing of staff.

76% of staff who completed

the 2021-22 ACWS
Workforce Survey—Staff
Version report that their
stress has increased as a
result of the pandemic. A
further 72% report an
increase in their levels of
burnout. And 51% report a
decrease in their overall
wellbeing.

Despite these difficulties, domestic

violence shelter staff have continued
to go over and above to serve and
support clients during extraordinarily
difficult circumstances.

8
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC’S IMPACT ON SHELTERS
Throughout the pandemic, domestic violence shelters have worked tirelessly to ensure that both
their staff and the survivors they serve remain safe and healthy. To meet this need, they have
had to navigate changing health restrictions (none of which were designed to specifically meet
the needs of domestic violence shelters) and adapt their protocols and programs to respond to
the evolving circumstances created by
the pandemic.

Shelters are now navigating an

unprecedented situation, increased
demand, an increase in the severity
of abuse, and an increase in the
complex circumstances survivors
face that can intensify their
experience of abuse. And they are
navigating all these factors with a
workforce that is dedicated but
increasingly overworked, stressed, and
burned out. We anticipate that this
situation will continue to intensify.
Researchers have established that acts
of gender-based violence—including
domestic violence and abuse—tend to
increase following major disasters (Antasario et al., 2009; Harville et al., 2011; Larrance et al.,
2007; Rezaeian, 2013; Schumacher et al., 2010).

The continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, together with skyrocketing costs of living,
have created circumstances that most often lead to increases in cases of violence and abuse.
The information contained in this report represents the beginning of even greater challenges to
come.

9
THE DEMAND ON SHELTERS AND THEIR STAFF

Domestic violence shelters and their staff do

an extraordinary amount of work.

50% of shelter staff provide support to more

than 10 clients a week.

11% of shelter staff support more than 30

clients a week.

45% of shelter staff perform shift work.

43% have positions that require them to be

on-call outside of their regular work hours.

37% work over and above full-time hours.

51% have experienced an increase in

workload since the pandemic.

Across Alberta, shelter staff consistently cite

the overwhelming workload as one of the
biggest challenges they have encountered
working in the domestic violence sector.
This is a direct result of chronic
underfunding based on an inadequate
staffing model.

10
For all the work shelters and their staff do, it is not
enough to keep up with the demand for services.
In 2021-22 alone, shelters were unable to grant over
19,000 requests from survivors for admission, and
10,000 requests to shelter children who would have
accompanied them, due to lack of capacity to house
them or safely meet their needs (ACWS, 2021).

While shelters will still actively work with survivors who

are turned away to provide them with other resources
and supports, these numbers speak to an
extraordinary demand for an increase in the services
and supports shelters are themselves able to provide.

83% of shelters report that they need additional staff to

meet the current demands of their shelter. As the
demand on shelters continues to increase, so too will
the need for additional staff and support.

11
INFLATION
Domestic violence shelters have not received a funding increase from the Government of
Alberta for staff wages since 2014-15, and for operational costs since 2015-16. Since
2015, the cost of living has increased by 20% (Bank of Canada, n.d.). In 2021-22 fiscal year
alone, the cost of living in Alberta rose by 6.5% (Statistics Canada, 2023b).

Shelters are being asked to pay 2023 prices with 2015 dollars. This task is virtually impossible.
Shelters cannot meet the demand for their services with the current levels of funding, and they
will be unable to keep up as that
demand continues to increase.
Current projections estimate that
the cost of living will increase by
5.2% in 2023 and 4.3% in 2024,
and as reported in the Globe and
Mail, a severe recession in 2023
(Kirby, 2023) is on the horizon.
To keep providing the current
level of care and support that
are critical to the safety and
wellbeing of thousands of
vulnerable Albertans every
year, shelters need an increase
in funding that covers both
operational costs and staffing
wages.

This is an immediate problem

that calls for an immediate
solution.

12
stagnant funding
STAGNANT FUNDING
2021-22 held many financial challenges for domestic violence shelters. Costs have soared
across the province, but shelter funding from the Government of Alberta has not changed, for
those with grant agreements as well as those who receive per diem rates. In the 2021-22 fiscal
year, the extent to which shelters could rely on basic operational funding from the government
dropped significantly.

Funding from the Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services (formerly the Ministry of
Community and Social Services) comprised 67% of the overall budget reported by shelters who
completed the 2021-22 ACWS Workforce Survey. That is a 13% decrease from what was
reported in the 2019-20 Workforce Survey, and it is the lowest government funding has been in
the past two decades.

It is important to note that not all domestic violence shelters in Alberta receive funding from the
Government of Alberta, and that for these shelters, navigating the financial demands of the past
year has been an even greater challenge. Further, some ACWS members have opened
additional beds without receiving additional funding in order to meet their local community needs
and are now contemplating their closure due to financial pressures, which would seriously
impact the number of survivors they are able to serve.

2021-22 also saw significant fundraising challenges. Fundraising comprised only 11% of the
overall budget reported by shelters who completed the 2021-22 ACWS Workforce Survey. This
is the lowest number that has ever been reported in a Workforce Survey.

Decreasing fundraising numbers are especially concerning given that the government expects
shelters to make up shortfalls in their budget through fundraising, while not permitting any
fundraising costs to be covered by their grant (Government of Alberta, 2002).

13
 The primary cause of this fundraising decrease is
the combined impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
and rising inflation. According to the Giving Report
2022, charitable donations had already declined
by 8% between 2006 and 2019, as cost of living
has increased and Canadians have become more
concerned about sustaining their own wellbeing
(CanadaHelps, 2022, 7). The Giving Report
projects that combined pandemic and inflationary
pressures will lead to an additional 12% reduction
in charitable giving between 2019 and 2021, a
decline that they say, “may prove catastrophic for
many charities” (CanadaHelps, 2022, p. 6).

This decline in charitable giving is more likely to impact organizations that serve women and
gender minorities, including domestic violence shelters (The Canadian Women’s Foundation et
al., 2020; Ontario Nonprofit Network, 2020). These organizations are more likely to be labeled
with negative gender stereotypes—such as being less competent than other organizations and
needing constant guidance and monitoring—and they must work harder to be taken seriously by
funders and donors (The Canadian Women’s Foundation et al., 2020).

Organizations that serve women and gender minorities are also less likely to garner widespread
interest from all segments of the Canadian population. As the Giving Report notes, men are half
as likely as women to identify gender-based or domestic violence as an important cause
(CanadaHelps, 2020, p. 20).

The domestic violence shelter sector in Alberta is already reporting an even greater fundraising
decline than what has been
anticipated. 45% of shelters
that responded to the 2021-
22 ACWS Workforce Survey
report that the COVID-19
pandemic has reduced
fundraising revenues by 25-
50%. An additional 30% of
shelters report that the
pandemic has reduced
fundraising revenues by over
50%.

With shrinking donations and

government funding, shelters
have become increasingly
reliant on short-term grants
and project-based funding.

14
In 2021-22, the amount of funding that shelters relied on from short-term government contracts
and grants more than tripled. Much of this influx of funding has come from temporary grants
designed to mitigate the increased costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. These grants
were crucial to shelter functioning, allowing shelters to maintain health and safety protocols that
protected both staff and survivors from illness. Most COVID-19 government grants have now
ended, leaving shelters to deal with the continuing legacy and aftermath of the pandemic
alone.

As we begin 2023, shelters are required to navigate an increasingly precarious financial

situation. Costs are rising. More survivors are reaching out for support. Fundraising is
decreasing. The government grants that sustained shelters through the first two years of the
pandemic have ended. And government funding has not increased to meet either the rise in
cost or the increasing needs of survivors. Shelters remain committed to serving all survivors
in need, but they cannot do so without help.

STAGNANT WAGES
Government funding for staff wages has been stagnant since 2014-15. The current shelter
staff wages are not keeping pace with inflation, are not adequate to meet the needs of
shelter staff, and do not reflect the importance of the work shelter staff do.

The Government of Alberta has a staffing model built into their contracts with domestic violence
shelters that establishes how much funding they will provide for each shelter staff position.

15
 SALARY

Government Business Average Albertan Shelter

Based on this staffing model, the average wage of domestic violence shelter staff is 15%
lower than what the average Albertan makes.4

This wage gap increases when domestic violence shelter wages are directly compared to
similar positions in the business sector. Overall, domestic violence shelter wages are an
average of 21% lower than comparable business sector wages.5

The staffing model wages are also significantly lower than the wages for comparable positions
in the Government of Alberta. Overall, shelter wages are an average of 33% lower than
comparable wages in the Government of Alberta. And this does not include the value of
benefits received by provincial
employees. Nor are these benefits
allowed to be covered under provincial
grant agreements with shelters,
leaving shelters alone to cover the
cost of crucial employee benefits.

The gap between shelter and

Government of Alberta wages is
especially significant, given that a
large percentage of shelter employees
leave shelters to work for the
government. 76% of shelters who
completed the 2021-22 ACWS
Workforce Survey indicate that
government recruitment is one of their
greatest challenges in recruiting and
retaining qualified and competent staff.

4This number was calculated based on the domestic violence shelter staffing model and the 2021 Alberta Wage and
Salary Survey (Government of Alberta, 2022).
5The comparisons of domestic violence shelter wages with business sector and Government of Alberta wages were
calculated based on the domestic violence shelter staffing model and market research performed by Hanowski
Consulting on behalf of ACWS.

16
GENDER AND RACIAL PAY DISPARITIES

Domestic violence shelters have a diverse

workforce.

96.5% of shelter staff who responded to the

2021-22 ACWS Workforce Survey identified
as women. This number is higher than both
the number of women employed in the
broader nonprofit sector (77%), and the total
percentage of women employees in Canada
(49%).

2.65% of shelter staff identify as gender

diverse, which is eight times higher than the
number of people who identify as gender
diverse in the general Canadian population
(Statistics Canada, 2022).6

33% of staff identify as members of a IBPOC

(Indigenous, Black, Person of Colour)
community, which is over 10% higher than
the national average of IBPOC people employed in Canada (20%).

20% of staff identify as Indigenous, which is 15% higher than both the nonprofit average (5%)
and the national average of Indigenous employees (4%).7

6There is currently no information available about the overall rates of employment for gender diverse people in
Canada.
7 The comparisons of Alberta domestic violence shelter staff to the employment of women, IBPOC communities, and
Indigenous people in the broader nonprofit sector and the broader Canadian economy was done using analysis from
Imagine Canada, 2022.

17
Women, gender-diverse people, and IBPOC communities all experience a significant wage gap.
According to Statistics Canada, nationwide, women earn 12% less than men (Statistics Canada,
2023a). In Alberta, women earn 14% less than men (Briggs et al., 2022). This gap increases for
women with intersectional identities. IBPOC women earn 33% less than white men (Canadian
Women’s Foundation, 2022). Indigenous women make 35% less than non-Indigenous men
(Canadian Women’s Foundation, 2022). According to TransPulse Canada, half of trans and
nonbinary people make less than $30,000 a year, and 40% have low-income households
(TransPulse Canada, 2020).

Without a funding increase, domestic violence shelter wages will continue to remain low,
and will perpetuate systemic gender and racial pay gaps. Shelter staff work hard, and
their work makes Alberta a safer place for everyone. They deserve wages that are fair
and equitable.

59% of domestic violence shelters report that they provide top-ups to the staff wages over and
above the wages provided through the province’s domestic violence shelter staffing model.
These top-ups allow shelters to acknowledge the valuable contributions of their staff and to
support them in living with dignity.

The top-up model, however, is not stable or sustainable. Shelters often use fundraising dollars
to provide the top-ups, which makes them dependent on the shelter’s fundraising success. With
diminishing fundraising success and a looming recession, domestic violence shelters
need stable and sustainable funding to provide fair wages to their staff for the important
work they do. You can’t top up when you’re pouring from an empty pitcher.

18
the impact of stagnant funding
Stagnant funding for domestic violence shelters has negative impacts on the shelter sector, on
the staff it employs, and on the survivors it serves. Here are some of the biggest impacts.

THE IMPACT ON SHELTERS

In 2021-22, the rate of staff turnover for ACWS member shelters reached 45%. This is an
unprecedented turnover rate in the Alberta domestic violence sector, and it is 18% higher
than the national staff turnover average for domestic violence shelters (27%; see
Women’s Shelters Canada, 2022).

Researchers estimate that it costs 30-150% of a staff member’s salary to replace them once
they’ve left their position (Merchant and Whiting,
2015). Based on this estimate, in 2021-22 alone,
it cost ACWS member shelters more than $2.25
million to fill vacant staff positions.

This is a huge resource drain for shelters that are

already struggling to keep up with increasing costs
and rising demands, and it’s one that could be
alleviated by addressing the greatest challenges
shelters experience in recruiting and retaining
staff.

19
ACWS members report that their greatest challenges to recruiting and retaining staff include:

Inadequate salaries

Government recruitment

Shift work

Lack of candidates who have the necessary

qualifications

Impact of vicarious trauma on staff

Staff stress

The challenges reported regarding attracting and retaining staff may be exacerbated for shelters
in rural or remote areas. 79% of shelters in rural areas and 78% of shelters in northern Alberta
indicated that their geographical location created additional staffing challenges.

20
Beyond the financial cost, staff turnover also impacts the overall functioning of the shelter. The
skills and expertise of gender-based violence specialists can take years to develop, and are
often unrecognized beyond the sector (Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against
Women & Children, 2002, p. 7). When shelter staff leave their position, they take with them a
highly developed, specialized skillset that may take years to replace.

More than half (55%) of domestic violence shelter director positions turned over during the
pandemic.

More than one third (37%) of shelter directors had no previous experience in the domestic
violence shelter sector before they began their position.

Almost two thirds (64%) of shelter staff have been at their position for three years or less.

Almost one quarter (23%) of shelter staff, including directors, have been at their position for
one year or less.

These numbers indicate that the domestic violence

shelter sector in Alberta has lost a lot of skill and
knowledge over the last few years. Many of the
people who now work in the sector are relatively
new, with much learning and growing to do. The
sector needs additional resources and support
as we work to compensate for this knowledge
drain, and to build up a highly skilled and
competent workforce that can effectively meet
the needs of survivors.

21
THE IMPACT ON STAFF
Stagnant funding levels have had a serious impact on shelter staff, and their wellbeing.

More than one third (37%) of domestic violence shelter staff report that they work an additional
job. Working an additional job increases the risk that staff will experience burnout and will leave
their shelter position.

92% of those who work an additional job report that they do so to supplement their income.

94% of staff who are thinking

about leaving their job report
that it is because of insufficient
pay.

78% of staff who are thinking

about leaving their job report
that it is because of work-
related stress.

22
THE IMPACT ON SURVIVORS

Two thirds (67%) of shelters who completed the 2021-22 ACWS Workforce Survey report that
stagnant wages negatively impact the quality of care that domestic violence shelters and their
staff are able to provide. This impact happens for several reasons.

As this report outlined above, stagnant wages have led to increased difficulties in maintaining
and recruiting a qualified workforce. 89% of shelters report that stagnant wages have negatively
impacted their ability to recruit and retain staff.

Additionally, as long as funding for wages remains stagnant, it leaves shelters vulnerable to
hiring staff with less experience supporting survivors. Survivors thus may not receive the same
level of support with a less experienced workforce that they would with a more experienced
workforce.

23
Finally, supporting domestic violence survivors is intense, demanding, and high-stress work.
This is work that takes a toll on those who perform it. Research indicates that staff who support
people who have experienced trauma are at high risk of experiencing burnout and vicarious
trauma (Bober and Regehr, 2006; Jordan, 2010; Newell and MacNeil, 2010). To remain fully
effective in their work, staff need to be able to care for their own wellbeing (Bober and Regehr,
2006; Jordan, 2010; Newell and MacNeil, 2010). When staff are unable to care for their own
wellbeing, it can compromise the integrity of the support they are able to provide. (Lee and
Miller, 2013; National Association of Social Workers, 2009).

One of the biggest indicators of staff’s ability to care for their own wellbeing is their wages (Miller
et al., 2018; Miller et al., 2019). Staff who earn inadequate wages are significantly less likely to
be able to care for themselves than staff who earn wages that are adequate to meet their needs
(Miller et al., 2018; Miller et al., 2019). Stagnant funding for wages has severely

24
compromised the ability of domestic violence shelter staff to meet their own basic needs
and care for their own wellbeing. As committed and hard-working as shelter staff are, they
cannot support survivors to the best of their abilities when their wages leave them unable to fully
support themselves.

Domestic violence shelter staff are dedicated to supporting survivors, but it takes an
incredible amount of time, knowledge, skill, and personal investment to learn how to do so
successfully. One of the most effective ways to increase support to survivors is to increase
funding for domestic violence shelters, and to ensure that shelter staff have the resources they
need to fully care for survivors, and to fully care for themselves as they do so.

25
call to action
IMMEDIATE ACTION
ACWS calls upon the Government of Alberta to immediately increase shelter funding to
accommodate inflation since the last adjustment.

This funding increase is long overdue, and the need is high. A cost-of-living adjustment would
help shelters handle the rising pressure of inflation. It would allow shelters to pay their staff a
decent wage and better address the problem of high burnout and turnover rates. And most
importantly, it would support shelters in meeting the needs of every survivor who reaches out to
them for help.

A cost-of-living adjustment from 2015 funding levels would cost the Government of Alberta
approximately $10.3 million. The government has already committed $12.9 million in additional
funding to the Office of the Chief Firearms Officer, beyond the annual funding already received
by that office, for the purpose of speeding up the process of buying and transferring firearms
(Short, 2022). By comparison, the government has increased domestic violence shelter funding
by only $2 million since 2016, to fund additional shelter spaces. If Alberta can invest $12.9
million in facilitating speedy gun sales, it can afford to invest $10.3 million in protecting survivors
of abuse and gender-based violence.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2024-25

We call upon the Government of Alberta to work with ACWS to modernize shelter
standards, update the shelter staffing model, and review operational funding.

To accomplish this task, ACWS would establish a Domestic Violence Shelter Committee
(DVSC) composed of ACWS members, other domestic violence shelters, and government
representatives to review ACWS recommendations, including modernization of the staffing
model, operational funding, and red tape reduction. The DVSC will provide the minister with
recommended actions that stabilize the sector, support survivors, and work toward the end of
domestic violence and abuse in Alberta.

26
 The domestic violence shelter workforce is
filled with people who have dedicated their lives
to supporting people in need. 85% of staff who
completed the 2021-22 ACWS Workforce
Survey report that they chose to work in the
domestic violence shelter sector to help people.
76% say they chose their work because they
want to stop domestic abuse and other forms of
violence. And 70% report that they chose their
work because they want to be part of
something bigger than themselves.

Alberta, it’s time to show some love to domestic abuse shelters and the survivors they
support. It’s time to show up for shelters as shelters show up for survivors and help
ensure that every survivor who reaches out receives the care they need.

27
references
ACWS. (2022). 2022 Data release: Data release of ACWS member shelter experiences in
Alberta from April 1, 2021 - March 31, 2022 https://acws.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2022/12/2022-12-06-Data-Release-2022-FINAL.pdf.

Anastario, M., Shehab, N., & Lawry, L. (2009). Increased gender-based violence among women
internally displaced in Mississippi 2 years post-Hurricane Katrina. Disaster Medicine and
Public Health Preparedness, 3, 18-26.

Ansara, D. L., & Hindin, M. J. (2010). Formal and informal help-seeking associated with
women’s and men’s experiences of intimate partner violence in Canada. Social Science
& Medicine, (70), 1011-1018. DOI:10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.12.009.

Bank of Canada. (n.d.). Inflation calculator. Retrieved January 20, 2023.

https://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/related/inflation-calculator/

Barrett, B. J., & St. Pierre, M. (2011). Variations in women’s help seeking in response to
intimate partner violence: Findings from a Canadian population-based study. Violence
Against Women, 17(1), 47-70. DOI: 10.1177/1077801210394273.

Bober, T., & Regehr, C. (2006). Strategies for reducing secondary or vicarious trauma: Do they
work? Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 6, 1-9. doi:10.1093/brief-
treatment/mhj001.

CanadaHelps. (2022). The giving report 2022. https://www.canadahelps.org/en/the-giving-

report/download-the-report/.

Briggs, A., Ball, K., Boda, K., Little, J., & Lee., C. (2022). Alberta’s nonprofit sector: Too
essential to fail. Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations.
https://www.calgarycvo.org/too-essential-to-fail

Canadian Women’s Foundation, Ontario Nonprofit Network, Canadian Centre for Policy
Alternatives, and Kathleen Lahey. (2020). Resetting normal: Funding a thriving sector.
https://canadianwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Resetting-Normal-Report-
Womens-Sector.pdf

Canadian Women’s Foundation. (2022). The facts about the gender pay gap. Retrieved January
26, 2023. https://canadianwomen.org/the-facts/the-gender-pay-gap/

Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children. (2022). Recognizing
critical expertise: A knowledge and skills framework for intimate partner violence
specialists.
https://www.learningtoendabuse.ca/research/recognizing_critical_expertise_in_genderba
sed_violence_work/index.html

Government of Alberta. (2002). Women’s Shelter Program Manual.

Government of Alberta. (2022). 2021 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey.

https://alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/survey-analysis/
28
Harville, E. W., Taylor, C. A., Tesfai, H., Xu Xiong, & Buekens, P. (2011). Experience of
Hurricane Katrina and reported intimate partner violence. Journal of Interpersonal
Violence, 26, 833-845.

Imagine Canada. (2022). Diversity is our strength: Improving working conditions in Canadian
Nonprofits. https://www.imaginecanada.ca/en/resource-download/diversity-is-our-
strength

Jordan, K. (2010). Vicarious trauma: Proposed factors that impact clinicians. Journal of Family
Psychotherapy, 21, 225-237. DOI: 10.1080/08975353.2010.529003.

Kirby, Jason. (2023, January 12). 2023 in charts: Experts predict what’s to come for housing,
jobs, wages and more. The Globe and Mail.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-charts-canada-economy-2023/

Larrance, R., Anastario, M., & Lawry, L. (2007). Health status among internally displaced
persons in Louisiana and Mississippi travel trailer parks. Annals of Emergency Medicine,
59, 590-601.

Lee, J. L., & Miller, S. E. (2013). A self-care framework for social workers: Building a strong
foundation of practice. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social
Services, 94(2), 96-103. DOI: 10.1606/1044-3894.4289.

Merchant, L. V., & Whiting, J. B. (2015). Challenges and retention of domestic violence shelter
advocates: A grounded theory. Journal of Family Violence, 30, 467-478. DOI
10.1007/s10896-015-9685-y.

Miller, J. J., Donohue-Dioh, J., Niu, C., & Shalash, L. (2018). Exploring the self-care practices of
child welfare workers: A research brief. Children and Youth Services Review, 84, 137-
142.

Miller, J. J., Girse-Owens, E., Owens, L., Shalash, N., & Bode., M. (2019). Self-care practices of
self-identified social workers: Findings from a national study. Social Work, 65(1), 55-63.
DOI: 10.1093/sw/swz046.

Newell, J. M., & MacNeil, G. A. (2010). Professional burnout, vicarious trauma, secondary
traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue: A review of theoretical terms, risk factors, and
preventative methods for clinicians and researchers. Best Practices in Medical Health:
An International Journal, 6(2), 57-68.

Ontario Nonprofit Network. (2020). Ontario nonprofits and the impact of COVID-19: A flash
survey report. https://theonn.ca/publication/ontario-nonprofits-and-the-impact-of-covid-
19-a-flash-survey-report/

Resaeian, M. (2013). The association between natural disasters and violence: A systematic
review of the literature and a call for more epidemiological studies. Journal of Research
in Medical Sciences, 18(12), 1103-1107.

Schumacher, J. A., Coffey, S. F., Norris, F. H., Tracy, M., Clements, K., & Galea, S. (2010).
Intimate partner violence and Hurricane Katrina: Predictors and associated mental
health outcomes. Violence and Victims, 25(5), 588-603. DOI: 10.1891/0886-
6708.25.5.588

29
Short, D. (2022, September 8). Alberta to invest millions to speed up gun sale and transfer
applications. The Calgary Herald. Retrieved on January 26, 2023.
https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/alberta-to-invest-millions-to-speed-up-gun-
sale-and-transfer-applications

Statistics Canada. (2022, April 27). Canada is the first country to provide census data on
transgender and nonbinary people. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220427/dq220427b-eng.htm

Statistics Canada. (2023a). Table 14-10-0340-02 Average and median gender wage ratio,
annual DOI: https://doi.org/10.25318/1410034001-eng.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410034002

Statistics Canada. (2023b). Table 18-10-0004-13 Consumer Price Index by product group,
monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse,
Yellowknife and Iqaluit DOI: https://doi.org/10.25318/1810000401-eng.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1810000413

TransPulse Canada. (2020). Health and healthcare access for trans and nonbinary people in
Canada. https://transpulsecanada.ca/results/report-1/

United Nations and Women Count. (2021). Measuring the shadow pandemic: Violence against
women during COVID-19. https://data.unwomen.org/publications/vaw-rga.

Women’s Shelters Canada. (2022). Shelter voices 2022: Labour issues and the impact they
have on VAW shelter staff. https://endvaw.ca/shelter-voices-2022/

30