Mandate, Beliefs & Aims

Historically, women and children have experienced systematic and institutionalized inequality in our society. We recognize that women and children are disadvantaged by our patriarchal society and because of this, are frequently victimized through violence. We recognize that violence against women and children is both an expression of their disadvantage and a coercive tool used to ensure its perpetuation. Three Oaks, as part of a comprehensive network of services for women and children who have been victimized by violence, provides safe shelter, advocacy, education, and nonjudgmental supportive counselling within a feminist perspective.

For the purpose of this mandate, feminism means recognizing the oppression of women and demonstrating a commitment to:

• Respecting individual differences;
• Respecting the rights of all persons;
• Working towards equality for all women;
• Ensuring accessibility of all services;
• Providing opportunity, and protecting the right to exercise choice within an equal society.

We are committed to the promotion of equality and the end of violence in our world. To this end,

Three Oaks will:

• Provide temporary shelter to women and children.
• Provide nonjudgmental, supportive counselling from a feminist perspective.
• Advocate on behalf of women and children.
• Educate the public about violence against women and children.

We Believe that:

1. All persons have the right to lives free from the presence and threat of violence.
2. Violence against women is a criminal offense. Offenders must be held accountable for their violent behavior. Legal institutions must actively contribute to the elimination of violence against women.
3. Violence against women is a social issue. Society-at-large must actively contribute to the elimination of violence against women.
4. We have a responsibility to educate and sensitize ourselves to the many differences amongst us, and to provide respectful, non-judgmental, accessible services to all women and children.
5. Women have the right and ability to be in control of their lives and to make their own choices. These choices become increasingly more informed as women demand and gain access to information and resources, which have traditionally been denied to them.
6. We have a responsibility to respect choices made by women and children.
7. When children witness violence, it is a form of abuse and serves to perpetuate the cycle of violence.

We aim to:

1. Provide safe, accessible shelter and transitional housing to women and their children. We are committed to ensuring that our properties and services are physically, geographically, linguistically and financially accessible to all women.
2. Provide all services in a consistent and equitable manner, and to establish and maintain safe, healthy environments in our shelter, housing and counselling locations.
3. To empower women by:
   1. Providing service in a woman-centered individualized manner.
   2. Providing information in a non-judgmental manner.
   3. Providing opportunities for women to exercise choice.
   4. Respecting women’s choices.
   5. Soliciting and responding to input from clients re: service development and delivery.
4. Recognize the unique and special needs of children who have witnessed domestic violence against women.
5. Acknowledge and take responsibility for the privileges, cultural assumptions and biases we bring to our work; and to provide service in a way that is respectful of the many differences amongst us.
6. Work cooperatively with other agencies, organizations and individuals to demonstrate the relationship between domestic violence against women and other forms of oppression; and to effectively challenge all forms of oppression.
7. Provide services to women and children, regardless of their political, or religious beliefs, whether they identify as cisgender or transgender women, their ethnocultural background, ability or sexual orientation.