Increased federal support for victims and survivors of intimate partner violence in British Columbia Français

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Department of Justice Canada

Jun 13, 2023, 13:35 ET

OTTAWA, ON, June 13, 2023 /CNW/ - Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health issue that has immediate and long-term impacts for victims, survivors, and their families. Victims and survivors of IPV often face physical and mental anguish, humiliation and intimidation that can make pursuing justice difficult. Providing improved and accessible legal resources is critical to ensuring victims and survivors can seek justice with confidence.

Today, Gary Anandasangaree, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, along with the Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre, and Kim Hawkins, Executive Director of the Rise Women's Legal Centre, announced financial support of over $3.1M to Rise Women's Legal Center for projects designed to improve access to justice for IPV victims in British Columbia. Rise is an independent community legal clinic based in Vancouver, providing accessible legal services to women in British Columbia.

Through this funding, the Government of Canada is helping victims navigate the legal system and provide necessary supports through initiatives such as:

  • Independent legal advice, independent legal representation and navigation services to victims and survivors of IPV through a virtual legal clinic. This project will also provide training and resources to community organizations, as well as lawyers and legal professionals working with victims and survivors of IPV.
  • Improved Family Law Advocacy programs in the province by identifying and responding to gaps in the services currently provided. It will also provide a range of supports for those who help individuals navigate the family justice system, known as advocates, through continuous standardized training, mentorship and practical supports.
  • Greater outreach for Rise's Family Advocate Support Line program, now expanded to increase outreach to Indigenous organizations around BC and provide specialized family law and child protection support specifically to First Nations band representatives.

Justice Canada is providing a total of $3,192,260 over five years through the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program and the Canadian Family Justice Fund.

Quotes

"Although IPV can affect anyone, women are victimized the most, and they experience physical, mental, cognitive and financial harm. Having the right support system in place will help reduce barriers and improve access to justice for victims, which is a fundamental Canadian value and an integral part of a fair and just society based on the rule of law. With this funding to Rise Women's Legal Centre, our government is helping to expand these services, and providing much-needed support to victims and their families in British Columbia."

Gary Anandasangaree, M.P. 
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

"Providing the right support systems to victims of intimate partner violence in British Columbia is essential for these victims to seek justice and find peace. When the home is no longer a safe place to be, organizations such as Rise Women's Legal Centre provide support, access and the advice IPV victims need to have the confidence to find the justice they deserve."

The Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, M.P.
Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre

"This funding is having a huge impact on our ability to meet the needs of survivors of intimate partner violence, who often have limited access to legal supports, especially in small communities. The funding allows us to provide direct access for women to legal navigators and lawyers who can provide trauma-informed assistance and independent legal advice; strengthens BC's network of support workers and anti-violence organisations through ongoing collaboration and training; and improves much needed outreach to Indigenous organizations in BC. With the Department of Justice's support, our staff are working hard to ensure that survivors of violence in BC have legal help during some of the hardest times in their lives.''

Kim Hawkins
Executive Director, Rise Women's Legal Centre

Quick Facts
  • Intimate partner violence (IPV), also known as spousal or domestic violence, refers to multiple forms of harm caused by a current or former intimate partner or spouse. IPV can happen in any community, in any type of intimate relationship, including within a marriage, common-law or dating relationship, in a heterosexual or a 2SLGBTQI+ relationship. It can happen at any time during a relationship and even after it has ended, whether or not partners live together or are sexually intimate with one another.
  • Women represent the majority of victims of intimate partner homicides in Canada, accounting for 80% of people killed by an intimate partner between 2014 and 2020. In 2020, 160 women were violently killed in Canada. 40% of women report experiencing some form of IPV in their lifetime and 30% of all women 15 years of age and older report having been the victim of sexual assault.
  • While Indigenous women account for about 5% of all women in Canada, they accounted for 22% of all women killed by an intimate partner between 2014 and 2020.
  • In 2014, women were twice as likely as men to report being sexually assaulted, beaten, choked or threatened with a gun or knife. In contrast, men were three and a half times more likely to report being kicked, bitten or hit with something.
  • The Justice Partnership and Innovation Program (JPIP) provides contribution funding for projects that support a fair, relevant and accessible Canadian justice system. JPIP supports activities that respond effectively to the changing conditions affecting Canadian justice policy. Priorities include access to justice, family violence, and emerging justice issues. The Canadian Family Justice Fund facilitates access to the family justice system for families experiencing separation and divorce.
  • In Budget 2021, in the context of "Advancing a National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence", the Government of Canada announced an investment of $48.75 million over five years to ensure access to free legal advice and legal representation for survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence; and $35 million over five years to provide additional supports for victims of intimate partner violence to navigate the family justice system.
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media may contact: Diana Ebadi, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Justice, 343-574-3446, [email protected]; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]

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