NEWS BULLETIN MARCH 2012 CCWS Provincial Working Group Continues to Grow The work of CCWS is informed by a Provincial Working Group that includes senior personnel from government, police and community agencies. The members provide input to the CCWS Program on issues related to their fields of professional expertise and identify local and provincial strategies to enhance coordination and implementation of violence against women policies. Since its inception, membership of the Working Group has continued to grow and diversify, adding to the group s depth and range as a forum for cross-sector analysis of existing policies and practices. It is now over 40 members strong with a variety of representatives from police and government and community representation that includes Aboriginal women, immigrant women, disabled women, transition houses, research, education and health services. New members to join the Working Group recently include: Jan Gottfred, Director, First Nations and Métis Social and Cultural Policy, Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Sgt. Jason Laidman, Domestic Violence Unit, Saanich Police Department Jeannette MacInnis, Executive Assistant & Event Coordinator, BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres Lisa Lapointe, Chief Coroner, Coroner s Service of BC Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, BC Representative for Children and Youth Molly Harrington, Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy and Research Division, Ministry of Social Development Sairoz Sekhon, Manager of Women s Transition Housing and Supports Program, BC Housing CCWS Partners with Northern Society for Domestic Peace As many of you will remember, Northern Society for Domestic Peace (NSDP) service providers, as well as experts across the Northwest Region, worked with CCWS to organize a gathering about increasing safety for Aboriginal women, youth and communities that was held March 2011 in Terrace. The Gathering was part of a project that was undertaken by CCWS with specific objectives to increase connections between Aboriginal leadership and services, and mainstream services. Feedback from participants at the Gathering outlined that the event was a rich learning experience, particularly with the wisdom shared by Aboriginal speakers from across the Northwest. People said they appreciated that they had the opportunity to make many new connections with services in the region that would allow them to work more collaboratively in the future. L-R, front: Carol Seychuk, Executive Director, NSDP; Bev Jacobs, Indigenous Communities Project Consultant, EVA BC; Marilyn George, STV Outreach Worker, NSDP; Tracy Porteous, Executive Director, EVA BC; Belinda Lacombe, STV Counsellor, NSDP. L-R, back: CCWS Regional Coordinators Gail Edinger and Morgen Baldwin CCWS MANAGING AGENCY: Ending Violence Association of British Columbia (EVA BC)
CCWS News Bulletin March 2012 2 Many participants also stressed the encouragement it gave them to see many different types of Aboriginal leadership attending and speaking on issues of sexual and domestic violence, and the importance of seeing this type of cross sector cross cultural work continue. Participants also talked about how many Aboriginal community members are already working to address these issues, and could use support such as tools and education about how to intervene more effectively while keeping themselves safe. Since then CCWS has worked with staff at Northern Society for Domestic Peace to develop a partnership to move this type of work forward with several First Nations communities in the Hazelton area. Marilyn George, STV Outreach Worker, and Belinda Lacombe, STV Counsellor, have been working with Aboriginal leaders and service providers to increase discussions and action on the barriers to safety for Aboriginal women and on identifying the strengths and needs in the communities. What has emerged from this work is a vision of work to be done that relates to continuing to build relationships, knowledge, provide training and work across sector and across culture. We are proud to announce that we have just launched phase two, a project funded by the Vancouver Foundation to continue and expand on this work over the next 18 months. NSDP, supported by CCWS, will take the lead at the local level in outreach, building relationships and working with Aboriginal leaders and other Aboriginal health and social service personnel, in developing coordinating strategies, protocols, agreements and tools. They will be working in the communities of Houston, Hazelton and the First Nations communities of Anspa Yaxw (Kispiox), Sik-edakh (Glen Vowell), Gitsegukla (Kitseguecla), Gitwangak (Kitwanga) and Gitanyow with the goal of sharing knowledge with Aboriginal leaders and service providers related to understanding lethality risks, safety planning, making effective referrals, current policy and what women can expect; all centred around increasing safety for women and children in these communities. Indigenous Communities Project Consultant Beverley Jacobs We are happy to welcome Beverley Jacobs to the position of Indigenous Communities Project Consultant for EVA BC s new 2-year Ontario Law Foundation funded project focused on increasing the safety of indigenous women through knowledge sharing and fostering relations. EVA BC will be working in partnership with Legal Services Society to carry out this initiative that aims to provide knowledge sharing opportunities for Aboriginal staff and leadership within Aboriginal organizations in BC, on and off reserve, related to criminal justice, family justice and child protection laws, policies and practices that directly affect women who have experienced violence. Bev, who holds a law degree from the University of Windsor and a Masters in Law from the University of Alberta, will also be working with CCWS on the curriculum for the Vancouver Foundation project that is underway in partnership with Northern Society for Domestic Peace. Bev brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this work and this position. She is a former President of the Native Women s Association of Canada. In her five-year term (2004-2009), she raised awareness about the missing and murdered Aboriginal women (Sisters in Spirit initiative), the issues of violence against women and girls, matrimonial real property rights and impacts of colonization on Aboriginal women.
CCWS News Bulletin March 2012 3 Safety of Immigrant Women Proposed Legislative Changes: Working Group member and immigration lawyer Kamaljit Lehal and CCWS Legal Analyst Gisela Ruebsaat were recently invited to make a presentation to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) regarding new federal government proposals for changes to our immigration system affecting women who are sponsored to come into Canada. EVA BC Annual Training Forum CCWS was on hand at EVA BC s recent training forum in Richmond to deliver workshops to frontline workers from across the province. The proposal being considered would result in these women remaining in Canada with conditional residence permits for 3 years (under the current system, once the sponsorship application is complete and the sponsored woman is resident in Canada, she is granted permanent resident status). That means she cannot be removed from the country if she leaves the relationship. With the proposed conditional residence permit, the woman would be subject to removal if she leaves the relationship. CIC has indicated that it wants to make special provision for abused women so that they feel safe to report abuse even if they are resident here under the conditional permit. CIC approached EVA BC/CCWS to seek our input in terms of what exceptions or measures could be put in place to help encourage and support abused women who are sponsored. Honour-Based Violence: CCWS Legal Analyst Gisela Ruebsaat participated in a one-day workshop in Ottawa on March 22 nd hosted by the Family Children and Youth Section of the Federal Department of Justice on the subject of "honourbased violence. Gisela took information to Ottawa on this subject that was gathered from the field in an EVA BC/CCWS survey conducted earlier this year. Sponsorship Breakdown: CCWS WG member Kamaljit Lehal and EVA BC Program Manager Harjit Kaur are presenting the workshop Sponsorship Breakdown: An overview of legal issues that arise when a sponsorship breaks down both for the person being sponsored and for the sponsor at the upcoming Legal Information and Resources for Settlement Workers Conference taking place in Vancouver on March 28 th. Domestic Violence and Children s Safety with a Focus on Empowerment and Effective Communication: This workshop focused on the complex process of analyzing risk for the purpose of collaborative safety planning for women and their children. Participant groups, led by CCWS Regional Coordinator Gail Edinger, wrote case scenarios and developed complex safety plans that included strategies for the many responders in the family s network. Introduction to Community-Based Victim Service Work: CCWS Regional Coordinator Michelle Novakowski and EVA Board Co-Chair and Justice Services manager from Prince George Elizabeth Fry Society, Bally Bassi delivered this workshop that provided an introduction to the scope of community-based victim assistance work, skills based feminist practice and theoretical values. The workshop provided an overview of the coordination response in place in the Province that assists community responders in developing local safety nets for women and their children. Introduction to STV Outreach: This skills-based session, designed for new STV Outreach Workers, provided an introduction to Outreach work context and skills. The session, developed and delivered by CCWS Contracted Regional Coordinator Morgen Baldwin and STV Outreach worker Marilyn George,
CCWS News Bulletin March 2012 4 emphasized bringing a feminist anti-oppression perspective to Outreach work with women, the importance of ethics and boundaries, working collaboratively with other services in the community and addressing the stress related impacts of Outreach work. Other Workshop Highlights Regional Stopping Violence In Relationships Committee / Terrace, Kitsumkalum, Gitaus, Nass Valley, Kitimat, Kitamaat Village: This model of regional support is different than the concept of a one-time capacity building session due to the location of CCWS in the region, with a regional coordinator available to attend regular meetings. The committee is in the forming stage and focused on a complex development process due to the diverse communities and players in the region. Some issues CCWS has supported the committee with include building an effective foundation, getting funding to support and sustain the initiative, ensuring respectful inclusion of diverse groups including Aboriginal organizations and communities, regional linkages and connections, particularly on housing and transportation issues. Domestic Violence - Developing a Community Response to Risk and Safety: This 2-day capacity building session was delivered in Vernon on February 1 st & 2nd by CCWS Regional Coordinator Michelle Novakowski in collaboration with Debby Hamilton, Executive Director of Vernon Women s Transition House Society. Setting Our Directions: This strategic planning session, facilitated by CCWS Regional Coordinator Michelle Novakowski, took place in Kelowna on February 9 th. Provincial Protective Measures Unit CCWS met with members of the Vancouver Police DVU Provincial Protective Measures Unit (PPMU) regarding long-term safety planning for women who are continuously at the highest risk for domestic homicide. Once immediate safety concerns are addressed at the local level, the PPMU will consult with service providers about long-term strategies that in some cases may require relocating the woman. For contact information for this program, contact CCWS Regional Coordinator Gail Edinger at (250) 397-2389. VAWIR Committees Teleconference What s Happening Around the Province CCWS held it s bi-annual VAWIR Coordinators Teleconference call in February. Fifteen representatives from coordination initiatives across the province joined the call from: Burnaby, Courtenay-Comox, Fort St John, Haida Gwaii south and north, Invermere, Pitt/Ridge Meadows, Robson Valley (McBride, Dunster & Valemont), Smithers, Trail and Vernon. There was lively discussion with strategies, tools and ideas shared. Some highlights from around the province: The Community Coordination for Women s Safety Committee in The Robson Valley has shared 3 case studies about women with issues of risk relevant to extremely isolated rural living. These new case studies can be obtained by emailing ccws@endingviolence.org with your request. The Smithers CCWS is working on new projects this year: a Domestic Violence Court Watch committee of members from the CCWS and a resource for readying women to go to court and resources for employers on domestic violence. The Trail VAWIR Committee is working well on developing protocols to address referrals. The Fort St. John VAWIR Committee is working on a cross-sector protocol for addressing safety of women at highest risk. In Invermere, the Columbia Valley Community Coordination for Safety in Relationships Committee (CCSR) continues to address safety planning for women at risk through their high risk domestic violence team. If you are working in coordination and would like to participate on the VAWIR teleconference calls, contact CCWS Administrative Assistant Lau Mehes at ccws@endingviolence.org to ensure you are on the coordination list serv. Visit us online at: www.endingviolence.org/ccws
CCWS News Bulletin March 2012 5 Provincial Working Group The CCWS Provincial Working Group met on March 6, 2012 in Vancouver. Presentations to the Working Group included: Domestic violence homicides by BC s Chief Coroner, Lisa Lapointe MCFD Assistant Deputy Minister Stephen Brown presented strategies in response to the report from the Representative for Children and Youth on the 2008 deaths of the Schoenborn children in Merritt. Family Law Act reforms were reviewed by Nancy Carter, Director, Civil and Family Law Policy Office, Justice Services Branch Ministry for Social Development Policy provisions for women at high risk was presented by Deputy Minister Molly Harrington and Executive Director of Policy, Mark Majesik Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act amendments to address information sharing issues in domestic violence cases presented by Celia Francis, Director IM/T Legislation, Knowledge and Information Services, Ministry of Labour and Citizen Services and Darrin Hurwitz, Coordinator, Information & Privacy Unit, Vancouver Police Department Resources High Risk Cases of Violence Against Women in Relationships: Collaborative Safety Planning Trends and Emerging Issues CCWS is a forum for discussing the challenges of policy and program implementation and resolving those challenges. We promote a broad range of system and community-based sectors working effectively in a solutions-based model. When communities identify issues such as those below, CCWS Regional Coordinators work with community stakeholders to address the issue at the local level. When an issue cannot be addressed at the local level and CCWS recognizes a province wide trend emerging, we endeavour to address the issue at a provincial level through the CCWS Working Group.! Extreme Shortage of Funding and Personnel in Justice System and Social Services! Information Sharing in High Risk Cases! Training Needed for Workers Contact Us Gail Edinger, Regional Coordinator 250-397-2389, gail.edinger@gmail.com Michelle Novakowski, Regional Coordinator 250-862-2887, micheno@telus.net Gisela Ruebsaat, Legal Analyst 250-592-6073, gisela2@islandnet.com Morgen Baldwin, Contracted Regional Coordinator 250-635-5300, morgenbaldwin@gmail.com Lau Mehes, Administrative Assistant 604-633-2506 ext 15, ccws@endingviolence.org New Family Law Act: Implications for Anti- Violence Workers (Information Bulletin March 2012) Disclosing Information in Woman Abuse Cases 2012: This document, first released in March 2011, has been updated to reflect amendments to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Privacy Provisions Which Impact Services Delivered by Community Based Anti-Violence Programs To view CCWS resources and publications online, please visit www.endingviolence.org/publications. L-R: CCWS Legal Analyst Gisela Ruebsaat and CCWS Regional Coordinator Michelle Novakowski at EVA BC s Annual Training Forum in Richmond, BC