Woman Abuse Council

The Woman Abuse Council of Toronto was created in 1991 under the name Metro Woman Abuse Protocol Project, by the office of the Chairman of Metropolitan Toronto. For the first 8 years, the organization operated as a community- based coalition under the trusteeship of Jewish Family and Children’s Services.

In 1999 the name was changed to the Woman Abuse Council and the council was incorporated as an independent non-profit organization. The Woman Abuse Council of Toronto is a voluntary membership-based organization with a General Council of 30 members who represent key community agencies and institutions working to provide a community response to woman abuse. The organization is governed by a 7 person Board of Directors and employs paid staff members who provide support to the Council and its 7 standing committees and taskforces.

Membership on the General of the Council is mandated according to the by-laws of the Woman Abuse Council through designated seats representing key sectors in the community. Current Council members include representatives from health care, women’s counselling and advocacy agencies, family service agencies, child welfare, women’s shelters, children’s mental health, criminal justice, housing, legal aid and agencies representing immigrant, visible minority, francophone and Aboriginal communities. Each year, a City Councillor is selected to represent the City of Toronto on the General Council.

The General Council meets every two months and is chaired by a community representative. Most of the standing committees meet monthly.

The General Council is supported by a network of standing committees and ad hoc groups that plan and implement specific initiatives. There are over 300 agency and organizational representatives who bring issues, recommendations and proposals to the Council through their participation in the work of these committees.

Council Members

Abrigo Centre
Access Alliance Community Health Centre
Arising Women Place
Assaulted Women’s Helpline
Atkinson Charitable Foundation Special Projects
Barbra Schlifer Clinic
Coalition Against Same Sex Partner Abuse (CASSPA)
Catholic Children’s Aid Society
Centre for Research in Women’s Health
Child Development Institute
Children’s Aid Society
COSTI Immigrant Services
Counterpoint Counselling and Educational Cooperative
Elizabeth Fry Society
Family Service Association
John Howard Society of Toronto
Korean Canadian Women’s Association
Legal Aid Ontario
Islamic Social Services and Resources Association
METRAC
Multilingual Community Interpreter Services (MCIS)
Native Child and Family Services
Nellies
Oasis Centre des Femmes
Regional Crown Attorneys Office
Springtide Resources
South Asian Women’s Centre
Toronto Child Abuse Centre
Toronto Police Services
Toronto Public Health
Toronto Social Services
Trans Inclusion Project – 519 Church
Women’s College Hospital
Working Women’s Centre
Yorktown Shelter
YWCA Toronto
Victim Services of Toronto