The Rowan House Society is continuing to make strides to break the cycle of domestic violence and abuse in Southern Alberta.
The organization hosted its Annual General Meeting on June 25, highlighting prevention efforts, achievements, and upcoming initiatives.
From first starting as a sanctuary for women and children experiencing domestic violence and abuse 25 years ago, the Rowan House Society has continued to grow and evolve with the needs of the region, to serve Foothills County, the MD of Willow Creek, and Vulcan County.
“The face of domestic violence and abuse has changed; it is more complex,” said Linette Soldan, Rowan House Society Executive Director. “The experience of domestic abuse cuts across gender, economic, and social boundaries in ways that have demanded us to adapt and enhance our programming to care for all involved.”
For the last 25 years, the Rowan House Society’s mantra has been to protect individuals and families and strive to prevent domestic violence and abuse before it happens. Today, it remains steadfast as ever, Soldan explained.
Over the years, the Rowan House Society has established seven core services to support anyone who is experiencing domestic violence and abuse or those who use abuse and choose to change.
In the last fiscal year, 211 women and their children accessed the Emergency Shelter to transition into a life free of domestic violence and abuse.
The 24-Hour Support Line supported 2,108 calls and texts, totalling 13,810 minutes.
The Children’s Program supported 209 children, and 2,887 hours were spent in direct programming with children playing and creating safety plans, calm boxes, and supporting them in other coping skills.
Through the Preventative Education Program, presentations were given to 3,789 students from 153 schools.
The Outreach Program served 132 clients and indirectly supported 178 children.
The Legal Resource Navigator supported 85 clients with 54 court orders.
The Safe at Home program supported 27 clients through 54 group sessions and 118 individual sessions and was nominated for the Most Innovative Service for the 2025 Purple Ribbon Awards.
“Support to individuals and children who are experiencing domestic violence and abuse remains fairly consistent from previous years,” Soldan said.
The Rowan House Society has seen an approximately 30 per cent increase in youth accessing the Children’s Program, from 161 children to 209.
The Outreach Program also saw an increase from 105 clients and 115 children to 132 clients and 178 children, an approximate increase of 26 per cent for clients and 55 per cent for children.
In the last year, volunteers donated 1,813 hours of service in various ways.
“We have a dedicated volunteer team who work hard to make an immeasurable difference in the overall client care delivery, the success of our events, and the connection of our organization to the communities we serve,” Soldan said.
Moving forward, the Rowan House Society has three upcoming initiatives.
The first is to stop violence before it starts.
“Intervention alone is not enough. To truly break the cycle of violence and abuse, we must address its root causes and do something different,” Soldan said.
The Rowan House Society has partnered with stakeholders to gain a better understanding of the root causes of gender-based violence and to develop prevention efforts at the local level, along with meeting with community members who shared their insights.
The second initiative is to strengthen connections for families.
The Rowan House Society is working with stakeholders in a 36-month-long pilot project, ATTACH, that will support youth between 11-17 who are in the Emergency Shelter.
“Through this partnership, we hope that we can strengthen the bond between parent and child in the face of adversity,” Soldan said.
Lastly, no one gets left behind.
Soldan explained that 89 per cent of women who are in domestic violence and abuse situations, who have pets, have indicated that the pets have been mistreated.
While another 56 per cent of women have reported delaying leaving an abusive situation due to concern for their pet’s safety.
To address the issue, the Rowan House Society is moving towards a pet-friendly shelter in September.
Without the commitment and passion of the community, the Rowan House Society wouldn’t be able to serve those in need.
“The community has always supported the work of our organization, and for this we are grateful,” Soldan said. “A lot has been accomplished in 25 years, and there has been a notable forward movement in our community. We have come a long way, and we embrace the road ahead.”
For more information on the services the Rowan House Society provides, click here.