Jan 6, 2023
Choice is a loaded word. Many of the participants who walk through our doors face limited options. When Avery Gray* was living in a tent on Alexander Street, she didn’t know what WISH was. One freezing night, she was invited into the drop-in for a hot chocolate and decided to check it out.
Nov 12, 2022
While many communities are moving on from the pandemic, in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic is still acutely felt. To make matters worse, this community continues to face multiple crises, including the ongoing opioid crisis, worsening homelessness, and escalating gender-based violence.
Aug 16, 2022
Last week, a police operation violently dismantled the encampment along East Hastings in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. We firmly condemn those acts of violence, as well as the continued lack of strategy to address the homelessness crisis.
Jun 1, 2022
Kwaakwii, also known as Elder Terri, is a proud Haida woman from Haida Gwaii, who came to the Lower Mainland about 30 years ago. Her journey began as a participant in the program and in less than three years she became WISH’s in-house Elder.
May 11, 2022
This spring, we are proud to be re-launching our Indigenous Health & Safety Program (IHSP) at WISH. The IHSP is a recurring six-month-long program that runs twice a year and is one of three streams that WISH’s Indigenous Health and Safety focuses on: Indigenous Drop-In; Indigenous In-Reach Services and; and IHSP.
Jan 19, 2022
Women’s organizations in the Downtown Eastside renew calls for community-led safety following an arrest made outside the Downtown Eastside Women’s Center.
Nov 24, 2021
Our hearts are heavy with the passing of Lillian Howard, who was an active and long-time member of the Coalition and fierce advocate for Indigenous women and peoples. The members of the Coalition share our heart-felt condolences.
Oct 26, 2021
It’s been one year since Canada’s first 24/7 emergency shelter for street-based sex workers opened its doors in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and the overwhelming demand for the space continues.
Oct 25, 2021
It’s hard to believe it’s been one year since WISH opened the doors to Canada’s first-ever 24/7 temporary emergency shelter for street-based sex workers. The overwhelming demand for the space continues to highlight the urgent need for housing and safe spaces for women and gender diverse people.
Jul 6, 2021
It’s been nearly eight months since Kilala Lelum launched its mobile clinic to provide primary care and cultural wellness outreach to the Downtown Eastside (DTES) community.
Jun 22, 2021
The following open letter was issued to the City of Vancouver and representatives responsible for convening the City of Vancouver’s Community Panel on Decriminalizing Poverty and Supporting Community-led Initiatives.
Jun 9, 2021
It’s been one year since the MAP Van day shift began operating in response to an increased demand for our trauma-informed and harm reduction supports and services. The MAP Van has provided essential services for woman-identified street-based sex workers across the City of Vancouver for 17 years.
May 13, 2021
It’s been six months since WISH opened the doors to Canada’s first-ever 24/7 temporary emergency shelter for street-based sex workers. Since then, we’ve seen an overwhelming demand for the space, resulting in the shelter being at capacity since opening day. Sadly, this means women are turned away from the shelter every single day.
Apr 22, 2021
June 21 marks the 25th annual recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day. Due to the lack of action from the federal government to mark June 21 as an official statutory holiday, WISH has decided to officially recognize the day as an additional paid holiday within our organization.
Mar 19, 2021
On March 11th, we held our first-ever WISH Talks virtual event in honour of International Women’s Day. WISH Talks is intended to be an ongoing series through which we hope to collaboratively create impact through conversations.
Feb 18, 2021
A coalition of organizations is giving the Vancouver Police Department’s first annual audit of street checks a failing grade. The VPD audit is being presented to the Vancouver Police Board on Thursday February 18, 2021 at 1 pm.
Feb 2, 2021
A province-wide Bad Date Reporting system for sex workers in B.C. is now one step closer to becoming a reality. Making it a first of its kind in Canada. Due to stigma, criminalization, and other legal barriers, the vast majority of the violence toward sex workers is not reported to authorities—forcing sex workers to take safety into their own hands.
Jan 28, 2021
“Programs such as the Trespass Prevention Program further criminalize and stigmatize poverty, plain and simple. Furthermore, this program gives more power to the police to harass and criminalize street-based sex workers at any time, even if there is no actual public safety issue.
Dec 14, 2020
For women involved in Vancouver’s street-based sex trade, the WISH Learning Centre became both a physical and mental space for them. By year one, more than 300 women had come through the Centre, with more than a dozen women making it part of their regular routine.
Dec 2, 2020
We have said it before and we will say it again: Gendered and sexualized violence continues to be normalized and accepted in our community by those in positions to make change.