Quickly leave a dangerous environment

Emergency financial assistance helps victims of sexual or domestic violence quickly leave a dangerous environment when their safety, or that of their dependents, is compromised.

This is an additional financial tool made available to victims and frontline staff to cover emergency expenses incurred while victims are brought to safety. This new financial support will help remove obstacles preventing victims from leaving a dangerous environment.

The emergency financial assistance is intended to cover the short-term transportation, housing and living costs of eligible victims.

Currently, emergency financial assistance is available to organizations in these regions :

• Abitibi-Témiscamingue
• Bas-St-Laurent
• Capitale-Nationale
• Centre-du-Québec
• Chaudière-Appalaches
• Estrie
• Lanaudière
• Laurentides
• Laval
• Montérégie
• Montréal
• Outaouais
• Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. 

It will gradually be extended throughout Québec.

A person is eligible for emergency financial assistance if they meet the following three criteria:

1. They are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, including sexual assault or exploitation;
2. They are in a situation where there is a sense of urgency requiring the person to quickly: 
   • leave a dangerous place;
   • go to a safe place;
   • receive emergency medical services related to the violence suffered;
3. They do not have the means to do so.

Victims do not need to report the violence to the police or apply for compensation with IVAC to receive emergency financial assistance.

Access to emergency financial assistance is quick and simple. No forms need to be completed.

Assistance is requested through the Emergency Financial Assistance Helpline, a phone line for organizations who are in direct contact with victims of violence. The helpline is available in French and English, 24/7.

The request is made by workers who are in direct contact with victims in emergency situations, for example a police officer responding to an emergency call, a nurse from a sexual assault centre, or staff from a shelter or victims assistance centre.

Access to the funds is initiated as soon as the victim’s eligibility is confirmed.

Emergency financial assistance administrators work with frontline staff to identify the victim’s needs, authorize expenses and handle administrative tasks such as contacting and following up with service providers (for example a taxi company).

No money is given directly to victims.

Thanks to agreements in place with service providers, frontline staff incur no costs to bring victims to safety, and no money is given to them directly.