WOMEN'S SUPPORT NETWORK - THE

What WOMEN'S SUPPORT NETWORK - THE does

Women's Support Network of York Region ("WSN") is a non-profit charitable organization incorporated in Ontario, Canada, founded in 1992 and headquartered in Newmarket, Ontario. WSN provides free, confidential rape crisis and sexual assault support services to women, trans women, youth, and gender-diverse survivors of sexual violence, operating within the York Region service area. Its service portfolio spans immediate crisis response (a 24/7 telephone crisis line at 905.895.7313 / 1.800.263.6734, online crisis chat, and SMS/text support), ongoing therapeutic care (individual and group sexual violence counselling, anti-human trafficking case management, advocacy), specialized programming (Wise Women Expressive Arts Circle, BIPOC support groups, Safe Passages Healing Retreat, Safe Passages Healing Retreat for survivors of commercial sexual exploitation), public education and outreach, and complementary legal and food programming delivered through partnerships.

The underlying technology footprint is modest and conventional rather than proprietary: there is no disclosed core platform. Service delivery relies on Zoom for virtual drop-in and group sessions, Eventbrite for event registration and ticketing, a website (womenssupportnetwork.ca) functioning as the central information and donation hub, Instagram (@wsnyorkregion) for community engagement including the Art Hive Instagram Live series, Google/Outlook/iCalendar subscriptions for event scheduling, and CognitoForms for volunteer applications. Chat and SMS crisis support is human-staffed. WSN's externally referenced technical infrastructure is the referral integration with Mackenzie Health's DASA (Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault) Care Centre for forensic nursing services.

WSN's business model is grant-funded and donation-supported rather than revenue-generating. Services are 100% free to survivors with no fees, tiered pricing, or contractual billing; the only customer-facing commercial element is donations of CAD $20 or above, which qualify for charitable tax receipts through Canada Helps. Revenue streams documented include government grants (Ontario Government, York Region, Department of Justice Canada), foundation grants (Ontario Trillium Foundation, Canadian Women's Foundation), corporate sponsorship (TD Bank via TD Ready Commitment, SE Telecom), individual donors, and community fundraising events such as the virtual #thatgirl Move-a-thon which raised $5,726 in May 2021. The organization's go-to-market approach is community-led and event-driven: brand awareness and beneficiary acquisition are generated through crisis line accessibility, hospital referrals, community events (Take Back the Night, Expressive Arts Circles, cookalongs), local media coverage, and social media. Annual revenue and headcount are not publicly disclosed; firmographic data indicates a small organization of 1-10 employees supported by trained volunteers.

Name

WOMEN'S SUPPORT NETWORK - THE

Legal name

Women's Support Network of York Region

Website

https://womenssupportnetwork.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women's Support Network of York Region is a non-profit founded in 1992 providing free, confidential 24/7 crisis support, counselling, and anti-human trafficking services to survivors of sexual violence in Ontario's York Region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sexual Violence and Human Trafficking Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)

Keywords

• Sexual violence support
• Human trafficking services
• Crisis intervention services
• Trauma-informed counselling
• Survivor advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Newmarket

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: Primary funding from Ontario Government and York Region municipal funding. Receives grants from Department of Justice Canada and Ontario Trillium Foundation.
2. Corporate and Foundation Donations: Funding from corporate partners including TD Bank (TD Ready Commitment), Canadian Women's Foundation, and various corporate donors. Donations over $20 eligible for charitable tax receipts through Canada Helps.
3. Individual Donations: Individual donations accepted via website, with monthly donor options available. Tax receipts issued for donations $20 or more.
4. Community Fundraising Events: Organizes fundraising events including the annual #thatgirl Move-a-thon. Raised $5,726 from first virtual Move-a-thon in 2021.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Women's Support Network of York Region provides free, confidential support services for women, trans women, youth, and gender-diverse people who have experienced sexual violence, including specialized services for people affected by human trafficking. Its core service portfolio includes a 24/7 crisis line, online crisis chat and text support, sexual violence counselling, anti-human-trafficking counselling and case management, advocacy and support, support groups and workshops, public education and outreach programs, community events and trainings, youth-specific supports, virtual drop-in support, and French-language services.

Product overview

Women's Support Network of York Region is a non-profit charitable organization that provides free, confidential support services for survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking. The organization offers a coordinated portfolio of crisis and counselling services, including a 24/7 crisis line, crisis chat and text support, individual and group counselling, anti-human trafficking case management, advocacy, and public education programs. The service model combines immediate crisis response (crisis line, chat, text) with ongoing therapeutic support (counselling, support groups, workshops) and specialized programming (Safe Passages Healing Retreat, Wise Women Expressive Arts Circle, BIPOC-focused programs). Services are delivered through in-person meetings, telephone support, video conferencing (Zoom), and online platforms, with French language services available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24/7 Crisis Line
• Crisis Chat and Text Support
• Sexual Violence Counselling
• Anti-Human Trafficking Counselling and Case Management
• Advocacy and Support
• Support Groups and Workshops
• Public Education and Outreach Programs
• Community Events and Trainings
• Supports for Youth
• Virtual Drop-In Support
• French Services

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor, regular and core.

• The Body Shop (Vaughan Mills)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 October 2021Product donation partnership where The Body Shop customers donated products to help women in need. Campaign built awareness of WSN services and collected self-care products for survivors. Sara (Manager) and Morgain (ASM) led the partnership.
• RedFlagDeals.comminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 31 May 2021Sponsor for first virtual #thatgirl Move-a-thon fundraiser.
• 105.9 The RegionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 31 May 2021Local radio station (105.9 The Region) sponsored the #thatgirl Move-a-thon event.
• York Region Food NetworkregularStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly community cookalong collaboration with Chef Chantal leading virtual cooking workshops. Provides food-related programming and community building.
• Community Legal Clinic of York RegionregularStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides monthly legal drop-in sessions via Zoom offering free legal advice on sexual/domestic violence, social assistance, employment, immigration, housing. Lawyers and paralegals serve low-income residents.
• Mackenzie Health HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDASA (Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault) Care Centre partnership for forensic nursing services. Refers survivors to WSN services and provides medical/forensic examination capabilities.
• Body BraveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHamilton-based charity providing eating disorder treatment and support. Facilitated educational session on food-related habits and stress.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• YWCA Toronto: Larger women's services organization operating shelters, employment programs, and gender-based violence supports across the GTA. Overlaps WSN's target population but serves broader needs and a wider geography.
• Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres: Umbrella organization for Ontario sexual assault centres including WSN. Operates an information line and trains/coordinates member centres, sharing overlapping service philosophy and target population.
• Canadian Women's Foundation: National funder and convener addressing gender-based violence, including funding WSN directly. Operates national crisis supports (e.g., crisis line funding) and shapes the ecosystem WSN operates within.

Direct peers

• Interval House (Toronto): Provides crisis intervention, counselling, and shelter for women and children fleeing violence. Comparable target population and service mix (crisis, case management, advocacy), though Interval House adds residential shelter capacity WSN lacks.
• Native Women's Resource Centre of Toronto: Provides culturally grounded support for Indigenous women and youth fleeing violence, including crisis intervention and case management. Comparable anti-oppressive, trauma-informed framework serving a distinct intersectional community.
• Toronto Rape Crisis Centre / Sexual Assault Support Centre (SAWC): Provides crisis line, individual counselling, and group support for survivors of sexual violence in Toronto. Closely comparable service mix (crisis line, chat, counselling, groups) and similar feminist, anti-oppressive framework.
• Assaulted Women's Helpline (AWHL): Ontario-wide 24/7 crisis line and resource navigation for survivors of sexual and domestic violence. Closely comparable service model, with similar trauma-informed, anti-oppressive approach and government/foundation funding structure.
• Sexual Assault Support Centre of Ottawa (SASCO): Provides crisis line, counselling, and advocacy for survivors of sexual violence in Ottawa. Directly comparable regional sexual assault centre model serving women, youth, and gender-diverse survivors through government and donor funding.

Emerging players

• Boost Child & Youth Advocacy Centre: Toronto-based multidisciplinary centre supporting child and youth sexual abuse survivors. Overlaps with WSN's youth-focused services but uses a co-located forensic/intervention model.
• METRAC (Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children): Toronto-based organization focused on violence prevention education and community safety. Adjacent to WSN's public education work, though METRAC emphasizes prevention rather than direct crisis support.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/wsnyorkregion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women's-support-network---the

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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