To request free and confidential assistance: Montréal (514-653-6363) Elsewhere in Québec (1-877-863-6363) or through our form
Listen, support and advise
Because radicalization leading to violence, hateful behaviour and gun violence are complex and multifaceted realities, Cities Without Violence has set up three service areas to support the public and professionals: listening, supporting and advising.
Phone support
Cities Without Violence offers a free and confidential listening and support phone service across Québec. However the issue affects you, we are here to find solutions together. Callers can ask their questions openly and be offered ideas to consider, without involving the justice system.
This phone service, provided by members of the Cities Without Violence multidisciplinary team, is available Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Please note that due to a high volume of requests, response times for ongoing files may extend beyond 15 business days. For any emergency that threatens your safety or the safety of others, please call 911.
When should you contact us?
- You are worried about someone close to you
- You have doubts or concerns that someone close to you, or another individual, may be engaged in a process of radicalization, committing hate-motivated acts or using gun violence
- You work in an organization affected by radicalization, hate-motivated acts or gun violence
- You are a professional (frontline worker, teacher or any other resource person) working with individuals who are radicalized or becoming radicalized, who may commit hate-motivated acts or use gun violence
- You have lost a loved one because of radicalization, hateful behaviour or gun violence
Community support
Radicalization leading to violence, hateful behaviour and gun violence call for an approach that is both individualized and comprehensive. That is why we offer individual and group meetings, focused on the needs of a radicalized individual, a victim of hateful behaviour or gun violence, those around them, or professionals in the settings concerned, depending on the request.
Our support is designed to draw on a range of approaches and practices. It aims to:
- Meet individuals’ specific needs through non-violent alternatives
- Support at-risk individuals by identifying early the vulnerability and protective factors associated with the different facets of radicalization leading to violence, hate-motivated acts and gun violence
- Build connections with other victims or with former radicals or people who have committed hate acts, in order to share experiences
- Encourage individuals who are radicalized or at risk, and their loved ones, to take part in activities around themes related to the issue (critical thinking, polarization, feelings of stigmatization and belonging, identity, etc.)
Who can benefit from our support services?
- A person worried about someone close to them
- A person whose loved one has become radicalized, committed a hate-motivated act or used gun violence
- A person who has lost a loved one because of their involvement in a violent radical group or movement, hate-motivated acts or gun violence
- A professional in a setting affected by radicalization leading to violence, hateful behaviour or gun violence
- A person who is or has been on a path of radicalization, who commits or has committed hate-motivated acts, or who uses or has used gun violence
Support groups
Cities Without Violence offers free online support groups led by professionals. Each meeting addresses a theme related to violent radicalization, hate acts or gun violence. Open to everyone, wherever participants live, the support groups are a confidential and anonymous space where everyone can express their concerns and feelings.
Let’s talk (Donnons-nous la parole)
A support group for people whose loved ones believe in conspiracy theories, offering a space to share their experiences in a safe, inclusive and judgment-free environment. Offered online and free of charge, with one meeting every six weeks, this support group is open to everyone on a voluntary basis, wherever they live in Québec.
Why join this support group?
- To share experiences with people who have been through similar situations.
- To break the isolation of people affected, closely or more distantly, by conspiracy theories.
- To discuss themes and issues related to the phenomenon of conspiracy theories.
Convers’actions
People faced with hate-motivated acts don’t always find the right resources to support their varied needs. The Convers’actions support group aims to give voice to the many experiences of victims and witnesses of hate acts in order to break isolation, make these acts visible and raise public awareness, with a view to taking collective action to prevent and address them.
Why join this support group?
- To share experiences in a safe setting.
- To break the isolation of people faced with hate-motivated acts.
- To discuss themes related to hate acts.
- To build shared knowledge and exchange on helpful practices and existing resources.
- To take pro-social action by promoting empowerment.
To join a support group meeting or for any questions, write to us:
Mentoring
A presence for all (Une présence pour tous)
The goal of the A presence for all project is to guide participants’ personal, social, religious, political, identity or ideological questioning toward prosocial spaces and forms of engagement. The program does not seek to counter any ideological affiliation or personal political or religious belief, but rather to support people going through personal difficulties that could push them toward extremism or hate.
For any questions, call or write:
Project carried out with the support of the Community Resilience Fund of the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence (Public Safety Canada)
