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High levels of violence, homelessness, addictions and poverty characterize the Downtown Eastside community, and women and children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, injustice and injury. Founded in 1978, DEWC is one of the few safe spaces within the Downtown Eastside exclusively for women and their children.

In addition to providing a refuge and shelter from conditions of poverty and violence, the Centre offers basic necessities including hot meals, clothing, a secure mailing address, phone and computer access, and showers. The Centre assists women with their immediate and crisis needs so they can develop stability and access the resources they need to improve health, family, employment and housing situations. They promote positive change by offering individual long-term support, education, advocacy, peer mentorship and exposure to alternatives.

The emergency shelter at 412 E. Cordova St. provides an emergency shelter for women who are homeless, hard-to-house, at risk of homelessness or at risk of violence. Advocacy and counselling is done by Liza McDowell and Melanie Skulsh in areas of Family Law and Domestic Violence, including parental custody and abuse.

The victim services program provides support and assistance to women who have been victims of crime. This includes reporting crime, providing emotional support, accompanying women to court and referring women to other programs and services. Staff work one-on-one with women to increase their safety and decrease their vulnerability to injury during the reporting process.