Searching for Victims Of Crime Support Programs

Voices for Women is providing hybrid services, utilizing in person, telephone or virtual care to support survivors.

Anyone new looking to access services are encouraged to call 705-671-5495 or email VFW@hsnsudbury.ca to make an appointment to book an intake.

Drop in services are not available at this time.

All in person services require that a mask be worn.


Provides community-based, ongoing, longer-term sexual assault counselling and support services for women including:

• Crisis intervention
• Individual and group counselling
• Safety planning
• Community outreach
• Court support
• Drop-in resource room
• Information and referral to community resources
• Public education and training

Deals with the prevention of crime, investigation of criminal activities and enforcement of law and order

Victim Assistance Unit

• Provides victims and witnesses with support, information, and assistance for victims of domestic assault

Police Services Board

• Oversees the operations of the Police Department and sets policies within the limits set by the statutes

• Offers on-site early intervention and crisis intervention
• Provides needs assessment, safety planning and referrals to community services
• Offers enhanced support for vulnerable victims
• Provides assistance with applications to VQRP+

Victim Quick Response Program+ (VQRP+)

Provides assistance with emergency expenses related to the eligible incident, including:

• home safety
• accommodation
• meals
• transportation
• basic necessities
• dependent care costs
• counselling
• traditional Indigenous health services
• cellular phones
• vision care
• dental care
• aids for victims with disabilities
• interpretation services
• crime scene cleanup
• government/medical documents
• funeral expenses

Additional assistance for victims of human trafficking includes:

• storage locker
• tattoo removal
• treatment at a recovery facility

Note: No direct reimbursement to victims for above supports


Financial support also available for:

• victims who sustained serious physical injuries during a crime
• parents of child homicide victims
• spouses of homicide victims

Provides individual and group counselling

Topics include:

• Empowerment
• Positive solutions to the effects of abuse
• Safety planning
• Stress management
• Strengthening self-esteem and self-confidence
• Well-being for the short and long-term

• Operates an emergency shelter for women who have been victims of physical, emotional, sexual or financial abuse, and their children
• Supports older women who are escaping abuse from a live-in caregiver
• Operates Brookwood Apartments

Offers a variety of support services including:

• Crisis intervention
• Counselling to women and children
• Referrals to other resources
• Safety planning
• Transitional and housing support
• Family Court Support Worker Program

Provides family members of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People access to confidential, culturally responsive, trauma-informed and victim-centered assistance

• Supports families by facilitating connections with culturally appropriate referrals and supports
• Facilitates the gathering of case-specific information about police investigations, coroner's reports/reviews, court proceedings or other government processes and provides information to family
• Family Information Liaison Unit (FILU) staff members are of Indigenous ancestry, knowledgeable, culturally competent and responsive to the needs of the family members they serve

Note: If you don't live near an FILU location, call the Ontario Family Information Liaison Unit toll-free to arrange for FILU staff to travel to your location

Provides information and assistance to support participation in and understanding of the criminal court process

• services begin once police have laid charges and continue until the court case is over
• information about victims' rights, the criminal justice process and their specific case (e.g., court dates)
• needs assessment and referrals to community agencies
• crisis intervention, emotional support, victim advocacy
• facilitates victim's input and liaises with Crown Attorneys, police, regarding bail, safety, resolution of charges, release conditions, publication bans, testimonial aids, trial preparation and court orientation
• information and support on Victim Impact Statements, Statement on Restitution
• facilitates access to court orders, such as bail conditions, probation orders, peace bonds
• debriefing and follow-up support

Vulnerable Victims and Family Fund

Provides financial and court-based supports to enable victims of crime and families of homicide victims to attend court, including:

• Travel arrangements and expenses
• Language interpretation
• Real-time captioning or other equipment for victims with disabilities

Provides various services including the following:

• Individual counselling and referrals to other resources
• Library Services for inmates
• Community Education through displays, discussions
• Guest speakers to speak on various topics

Institutional Visitation

• Visits people at the local jail in response to requests
• Advocates with legal aid and involvement with the family

Pre-Release Planning

• Meets with inmates, at their request, to develop an individual plan of action that can be followed upon release
• Develops a plan based on individual need and may involve networking and collaborating with service providers to assure assistance to clients
• Provides follow-up and support once released

Community Service Order Program

• Provides an option to jail sentences and can be a condition of a probation order for adult and youth offenders
• Works a specific number of hours of community service work
• Focuses on assistance for seniors, non-profit organizations, and physically challenged persons

Reconciliation Between Victims and Offenders

• Facilitates reconciliation between victim and offender where both parties are willing to undergo a group conference to discuss the offence, the effects of the offence on the victim and appropriate consequences for the offender

Youth Referral Project

• Determines the most appropriate consequences with the alleged young offender, parent(s)/caregiver(s), John Howard Society and the police

Anger Management Program

• Teaches people to use appropriate thoughts and actions to express anger
• Teaches skills to help understand themselves and how to identify and express their anger appropriately

Extrajudicial Sanctions/Enhanced Extrajudicial Sanctions

• Provides community based post charge sanctions for youth, outside of formal judicial proceedings, where a young person cannot be adequately dealt with by police cautions, warnings or referrals to community support programs

Sudbury Youth Rocks Program

• Provides music lessons to youth who are at risk of conflict with the law or who do not have the opportunity to play a musical instrument and who want to learn music and join a band

• Offers on-site early intervention and crisis intervention
• Provides needs assessment, safety planning and referrals to community services
• Offers enhanced support for vulnerable victims
• Provides assistance with applications to VQRP+

Victim Quick Response Program+ (VQRP+)

Provides assistance with emergency expenses related to the eligible incident, including:

• home safety
• accommodation
• meals
• transportation
• basic necessities
• dependent care costs
• counselling
• traditional Indigenous health services
• cellular phones
• vision care
• dental care
• aids for victims with disabilities
• interpretation services
• crime scene cleanup
• government/medical documents
• funeral expenses

Additional assistance for victims of human trafficking includes:

• storage locker
• tattoo removal
• treatment at a recovery facility

Note: No direct reimbursement to victims for above supports

Financial support also available for:

• victims who sustained serious physical injuries during a crime
• parents of child homicide victims
• spouses of homicide victims

Primarily delivers the Miwdoodaa Minomaadiziwin Diversion Program

• Acts as a pre/post-charge diversion program that offers culturally appropriate services to help Indigenous people deal with the criminal justice system
• Offers culturally appropriate alternatives upon sentencing before a conviction is entered
• Provides an opportunity for the community member to enter into a mutually agreed Healing and Wellness Plan which will be taken into consideration upon sentencing
• Elders, Band officials, victims and community service providers may assist the community member during the Council process
• Facilitates mediation between the victim and offender to allow each party to be seen, heard and believed in order to repair the harm done to the community
• Offers assistance with victim services, legal aid and advice clinic, probation, and bail supervision

Some typical Healing and Wellness Plans may include, but are not limited to:

• Attending cultural events, such as Ceremony and Justice Circle
• Some form of restitution
• Community service hours
• Counselling and/or treatment

Community Justice Committee

• Acts as an advisory committee to the Justice Coordinator
• Participates in Justice Circles and development of Healing Plan
• Supports the offender and the victim

• Provides individualized 24 hour emergency service to victims and survivors of sexual assault and/or domestic violence
• Provides emergency medical assessment and treatment

Provides initial emergency care only with the patient's informed consent, and may include all or part of the following:

• Assessment and treatment of injuries
• Testing/treatment/prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STI), including HIV
• Emergency contraceptives
• Reassurance and emotional support
• Collection of forensic evidence including photographs
• Risk assessment and safety planning
• Referral for medical follow-up
• Referral to appropriate social agencies
• Referral to shelter and or other relevant community resources
• Police involvement, at victims request
• Storage of forensic evidence for up to six months if the patient is uncertain about involving the authorities

Acts as a pre/post-charge diversion program that offers culturally appropriate services to help Indigenous people deal with the criminal justice system

• Offers culturally appropriate alternatives upon sentencing before a conviction is entered
• Provides an opportunity for the community member to enter into a mutually agreed Healing Plan which will be taken into consideration upon sentencing
• Elders, band officials, victims and community service providers may assist the community member during the Council process
• Facilitates mediation between the victim and offender to allow each party to be seen, heard and believed in order to repair the harm done to the community

Some typical Healing Plans may include, but are not limited to:

• Attending cultural events, such as ceremony
• Some form of restitution
• Community service hours
• Counselling and/or treatment

Provides information and assistance to support participation in and understanding of the criminal court process

• services begin once police have laid charges and continue until the court case is over
• information about victims' rights, the criminal justice process and their specific case (e.g., court dates)
• needs assessment and referrals to community agencies
• crisis intervention, emotional support, victim advocacy
• facilitates victim's input and liaises with Crown Attorneys, police, regarding bail, safety, resolution of charges, release conditions, publication bans, testimonial aids, trial preparation and court orientation
• information and support on Victim Impact Statements, Statement on Restitution
• facilitates access to court orders, such as bail conditions, probation orders, peace bonds
• debriefing and follow-up support

Vulnerable Victims and Family Fund

Provides financial and court-based supports to enable victims of crime and families of homicide victims to attend court, including:

• Travel arrangements and expenses
• Language interpretation
• Real-time captioning or other equipment for victims with disabilities