Family Violence Resources and Safety Planning in BC

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If you are in immediate danger, call 911 now. Everything on this page can wait.

If you are reading on a shared or monitored device, be aware that browsing history can be seen. The BC government pages linked below carry a banner you can use to exit the site quickly. Using a device the other person cannot access, such as a work computer, a library computer or a trusted friend's phone, is a common suggestion.

SiLaw Group Family Lawyers put this page together because people often need practical support before, or alongside, legal steps. We are a family law and mediation firm in South Surrey, working in English and Punjabi, and what you tell us stays confidential, including how and when it is safe for us to contact you. The resources below are official public services; you do not need to be our client, or anyone's client, to use them. This page is part of our family violence services.

Safety Planning Ideas to Consider

These are common suggestions, not a checklist, and no list covers everything. A safety plan is personal, and support workers can help you build one that fits your situation. Only do what is safe for you to do.

• Copies of important documents. Where it is safe, gather or copy identification, health cards, immigration papers, court orders, and banking details for yourself and your children, and keep them somewhere the other person cannot reach, such as with a trusted person.
• A small bag. Some people keep a bag with medications, spare keys, some cash, and a change of clothes, stored away from home if home is not safe.
• A code word. A word or phrase agreed with trusted family or friends can quietly signal that you need help or that they should call the police.
• Your phone. Keeping it charged and with you matters; it is also worth considering whether your accounts, location sharing or devices may be monitored.
• A destination. Knowing in advance where you would go, even just for the first night, removes one decision from a hard moment.

If children are part of your plan, what they are told and asked to do should fit their age; support services can help with that conversation too.

Official Support and Resources

Each of these is a government or public legal aid service. We have deliberately not listed shelters or transition houses by name here; VictimLinkBC can connect you to them safely.

VictimLinkBC is a toll-free, confidential, multilingual service available across British Columbia and the Yukon 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call or text 1-800-563-0808. It provides information and referrals to all victims of crime and immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence, and its staff can connect you to community resources including victim services, transition houses and counselling, as well as information on safety planning and protection orders. Service is available in up to 150 languages, including many North American Indigenous languages.

The BC government's pages on gender-based violence, sexual assault and domestic violence collect provincial information on safety, supports, and legal information, with a quick-exit banner on every page.

Legal Aid BC describes itself as free legal help for BC residents. Whether you qualify, and for what, depends on their current criteria, which their website explains.

How the Legal Tools Fit Together

Family violence can touch several parts of a family law case at once, and different tools do different jobs.

• Protection orders are the safety tool. A BC court can order a family member not to contact you or come near you where family violence is likely to occur. Our guide to family protection orders in British Columbia explains how they work.
• Conduct orders manage behaviour inside a family law case, such as limits on how the parties communicate or who pays the household bills while the case is decided. They are covered within our family violence services.
• Parenting arrangements are where family violence is weighed for the children. Courts must consider its impact as part of the best interests of the child. See our parenting services and our plain-language page on the best interests of the child.
• Civil claims can seek compensation for harm done. Our post on family violence and civil claims in BC explains that path.

One legal step does not commit you to the others, and none of them has to be the first move. Support can come first.

If You Rent, You May Be Able to Leave Your Lease

BC tenancy law can give a person fleeing violence a way to end a lease early. Rather than repeat the rules here, we keep them current in one place: read our post on ending a rental lease because of violence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Can I Call for Family Violence Support in BC?

Call 911 if you are in immediate danger. Otherwise, VictimLinkBC at 1-800-563-0808 takes calls and texts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, confidentially, anywhere in British Columbia.

Do I Have to Start a Court Case to Get Support?

No. VictimLinkBC, victim services and the other supports above are available whether or not you ever take a legal step. When and whether to involve a court is a separate decision, and you can get legal advice before making it.

Is Help Available in Languages Other Than English?

Yes. VictimLinkBC offers service in up to 150 languages, including many North American Indigenous languages. At our firm, we work in English and Punjabi.

Does Any of This Apply to Men?

All of it. Family violence has no single profile, and the services above are for everyone. We wrote about abuse against men in British Columbia relationships because men often hesitate to reach out.

When You Are Ready to Talk About Legal Options

There is no deadline on that conversation, and no pressure attached to it. The first 30 minutes with us are free, by phone, video, or in person in South Surrey, whichever is safest for you. Call (778) 381-9977 or Book Now for a Free Consultation.

This page is legal information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, speak with a lawyer.