In the early 1980’s, 2 women out of Pictou County Women’s Center began to talk to women’s groups, police, social services, doctors and community workers about the issue of battered women. They had supported from grants from Secretary of State Women’s Program and Canada Manpower. We discovered that in a 3-month period there were 74 reported cases of wife battering in Pictou County. This is almost 25 per month.
With support from the Secretary of State Women’s Program, the Battered Women’s Information Service was established in November 1982. Women could call this telephone help line to get emotional support and information from trained volunteers. If victims had to flee their home due to abuse they were then referred to Bryony House in Halifax. It became clear that there was a need for a transition house in Pictou County.
In the Spring of 1983, a group of people agreed to work toward the establishment of a transition house in Pictou County. We took our name from the Gaelic: Tearmann, meaning “refuge.” Tearmann Society for Battered Women committed itself to provide shelter, support and information to battered women and their children.
On October 15, 1984, Tearmann House opened its doors to serve battered women from Pictou, Antigonish and Guysborough Counties. We were led by our first executive director, Karen O’Hara (pictured here). Karen continued in this role and as a champion for abused women until her retirement in 2013.
Tearmann is a member of the Transition House Association of Nova Scotia. As such, we’ve been a part of lobbying the Government of Nova Scotia and advocating for services to include a Children’s Services Worker (now Child & Youth Counsellor) and Outreach Services.
Today, Tearmann Society for Abused Women is a recognized leader and change agent. We advocate:
- for strengthened community support systems
- for creating sustainable partnerships to eliminate violence against women and children
- for providing services that transition women towards safety, independence and greater self worth
Tearmann Society, guided by a feminist philosophy, is dedicated to preserving and promoting the dignity and human rights of abused women and their children.
The services of Tearmann have grown and developed over the years to include the following services:
- 24-hour distress line and 15 bed shelter
- Counselling
- Residential Group Programs
- Community Information Program
- In-House Child & Youth Programs
- Information, referrals and advocacy
- Drop-in counselling sessions
- Outreach Counselling
- Outreach Group Programs
- Outreach Child & Youth Programs
- Advocacy
Vision, Mission, & Values
Vision
Tearmann Society for Abused Women is recognized as a leader and a change agent, advocating for strengthened community support systems, sustainable partnerships to eliminate violence against women, and services that focus on transitioning women toward independence and greater self-worth.
Mission
Tearmann Society for Abused Women is a community-based non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the dignity and human rights of women who have been abused and their children through the provision of safe shelter, direct services, education, advocacy, outreach, and community action.
Values
Tearmann Society is guided by a feminist philosophy and acknowledges the reality that woman abuse and family violence exist; therefore, it is committed to the following values:
- That women and their children have the right to personal dignity, to freedom from fear and to freedom from physical, emotional, sexual, economic and/or psychological abuse.
- That women have the right to information, the right to moral and personal freedom, the right to exercise personal autonomy in making decisions, and the right to make choices affecting their own lives.
- That services should be extended to women and their children without discrimination.
- That Tearmann Society is accountable to provide a secure, non-judgmental, confidential and supportive environment and services to enable women to become active agents in their own lives through empowerment.
- That services must be provided to children exposed to woman abuse and family violence.
- That ongoing quality services should be available to all women and their children who are victims of woman abuse and family violence.
- That effort should be made to provide public education in our communities on woman abuse, dating violence and family violence as a preventative measure.
- That communication and cooperation between agencies concerned with woman abuse and family violence should be encouraged at every opportunity.
- That Tearmann Society is accountable to our funders and communities to be good financial stewards and to provide services that meet community needs.