Privacy Policy
This policy applies to visitor and donor information we collect through our website www.cwav.org, as well as visitor and donor information that we collect by email, mail or through phone.
Information We Collect
Cowichan Women Against Violence Society collects the following information when you sign up for our newsletter:
Your name
Your email address
We also collect the following when you make a donation:
· Your name
· Your email address
· Your address and postal code
· Your phone number (optional)
How We Use and/or Disclose Your Information
Cowichan Women Against Violence Society uses your information to provide the services you request and to support our core functions.
These uses include:
Communicating with you by email or telephone
Sending your tax receipt for eligible donations
We will disclose your personal information if we are required by law to do so.
How We Get Your Consent
When you provide us with personal information through our online newsletter sign-up form or donation form, we assume you consent to our collecting it and using it for the purpose of communications and receipting.
If we ask you for personal information for a secondary reason, like marketing, we will either ask you directly for your consent or provide you with an opportunity to say no. Saying no is called "opting out". By opting out, you can tell us not to collect the information and/or not to share it with other parties.
Social Media
We may offer you the opportunity to engage with our content on or through third party social networking websites, plug-ins and applications. When you engage with our content this way, you may allow us to have access to certain information associated with your social media account, (e.g., name, username, e-mail address, photo) to deliver the content or as part of the operation of the website, plug-in or application.
Marketing Preferences
We want to communicate with you in ways you want to hear from us. Examples are newsletters, opportunities, and announcements. We use an opt-in standard for receiving news from us. Opt-in means we will only conduct the activity with your express consent. If you provide your email address to opt-in to receiving promotional and informational e-mails, you will be given the opportunity to give your express consent to receive these commercial electronic messages. You may withdraw your consent by using the “unsubscribe” link located at the bottom of all promotional messages you receive from us, or by contacting us using the contact information below.
Please be aware that, even if you have opted out of receiving marketing communications from us, we may still contact you for transactional purposes. For example, to provide a tax receipt for your donation.
Hard Copy and Electronic Storage Protections
Personal information that is maintained in our office is subject to physical, administrative, and technical controls. When disposed of, information is shredded, destroyed, erased, or otherwise made unreadable. Hard copies of personal information are maintained in locked locations or cabinets with similar restrictions for electronic storage. E-mails and e-mail attachments containing sensitive personal information are stored electronically and then erased. Cowichan Women Against Violence Society stores sensitive personal information electronically with a CRM provider that uses a multi-layered approach to protect your information, constantly monitoring and improving their application, systems, and processes to meet the growing demands and challenges of security.
Privacy of Children Online
We are committed to protecting children’s online privacy. Our website is a general audience website not geared towards children. In order to protect the privacy of children, Cowichan Women Against Violence Society does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 without prior parental consent. Please contact us via the “Contact Us” section of this policy if you believe we may have collected information from your child and we will work to delete it.
How to Access and Update Your Information
Cowichan Women Against Violence Society takes reasonable steps to keep your personal information accurate and complete. You can access or update your personal information, including contact or account information by contacting us at the email or postal address listed in the “Contact Us” section at the bottom of this policy. Please include your current contact information, the information you are interested in accessing, and your requested changes. We will provide you the personal information requested if reasonably available, unless it infringes on the privacy of other individuals and subject to reasonable limitations provided by law and internal procedures. Otherwise, we will describe the types of information we typically collect. We will provide you with access and make changes that you request or will provide an explanation of what actions we will be able to take in regard to the request. If you need help accessing your information related to a service provided by a third party, we will assist you by referring you to the third party.
Please check our privacy policy periodically for changes. We will also notify you of significant updates and will post the date it was last updated at the bottom of the privacy policy.
If you would like more information about our policies, or you would like to see exactly what personal information we have about you in our records, or you wish to register a complaint, please contact:
Name: Nora Livingstone, Executive Director
Address: 246 Evans St., Duncan, BC V9L 1P8
Phone: 250-748-7000 ext. 118
Email: exec.dir@cwav.org
You can also contact the Privacy Commissioner of Canada for assistance between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. est, at:
Toll-free: 1-800-282-1376
Phone: (819)994-5444
Fax: (819)994-5424
TTY: (819)994-6591
or by mail at:
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 1H3
or on the web at:
http://www.priv.gc.ca
You can also contact your Provincial or Territorial Privacy Commissioner's office for more information.
Effective: October 21, 2026