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In this edition of our shelter newsletter, we bring you updates on a variety of programs and resources that can support your work with children who have experienced or witnessed domestic violence. Read on to learn about the second round of PEACE for Canadian Children and Youth training and hear from a past participant, access a resource on coercive control and its impact on children, and get an update on Keira’s Law. This newsletter also contains updates on Women’s Shelters Canada’s federal advocacy and the opportunity to register for upcoming focus groups on Feminist Brain Drain in the shelter sector.
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Gender-Based Violence:
Behind the Stats
On June 23, Women’s Shelters Canada (WSC) teamed up with the Canadian Women’s Foundation and YWCA Canada to present a special online conversation with award-winning journalists and IPV survivors Anna Maria Tremonti and Eternity Martis. The event featured thoughtful and critical discussion about the people behind GBV stats and concluded with remarks from each organization’s executive director, including WSC’s very own Lise Martin. We were delighted to see such amazing support for this inspiring exchange of knowledge, and we hope to bring you more events like this soon! Missed the event? Keep an eye out for the event recording that will be available on our YouTube page soon!
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An Update on
Keira’s Law
We are pleased to share that Keira’s Law (Bill C-233) passed its third and final reading in the House of Commons on June 1 with unanimous support! Keira’s Law now moves to the Senate for review, meaning that we are one step closer to finalizing this powerful and urgent legislation. Not only will Keira’s Law protect victims of violence and children, it will also save lives. To find out more about the importance of Keira’s Law and how to support it, visit our Keira’s Law webpage.
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COVID-19, Victim Services,
and Well-Being
Krys Maki, WSC’s Director of Research and Policy, recently co-authored an article on COVID-19, Victim Services, and Well-Being. The article draws on data collected from a national study on vicarious resilience to better understand the experiences of victim service providers and their well-being during the pandemic. Vicarious resilience refers to the idea that repeated exposure to the resilience of survivors can help service providers build their personal resiliency.
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Apply Now: PEACE for Canadian Children and Youth Training & Mentorship in Fall 2022
We are excited to announce that the final round of PEACE for Canadian Children and Youth training and mentorship will start in Fall 2022. This program is open to frontline workers at shelters or transition houses that serve rural, remote, and northern communities and who want to nourish and grow their capacity to support children and youth who have experienced violence at home. This opportunity offers 14 hours of interactive online training and 6 mentorship meetings with an experienced PEACE counsellor. If your shelter is interested in participating, apply online by July 29, 2022.
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Help Shape the National Menstrual Equity Fund
Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) is reaching out to not-for-profit organizations, including VAW shelters and transition houses, serving populations who may be facing challenges in accessing menstrual products. Take part in this 10-minute survey to offer your thoughts on the current landscape and existing practices related to menstrual equity. This valuable information will be used to shape the creation of a national pilot for a Menstrual Equity Fund. The survey link will be active until July 15, 2022.
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Seeking Participants for National Focus
Groups on Feminist Brain Drain
As a part of the Feminist Brain Drain Study, WSC is recruiting shelter managers and frontline staff for focus groups to inform us of the challenges and promising practices related to labour and staff well-being in the VAW shelter sector. We understand that managers and frontline staff face different challenges and have harnessed diverse strategies and tools, which is why we are hosting separate meetings for each group. Focus groups will take place virtually over Zoom throughout July and August. To thank you for your participation, an honorarium will be provided. If you are interested in participating, fill out this online registration form by July 13, 2022. We are looking for practical and visionary ideas – and we hope you will join us in this engaging conversation!
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 New Blog: A Conversation with a PEACE Project Participant |
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 Update on Mass Casualty Commission in Nova Scotia |
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Where is Canada’s National Action Plan?
WSC’s Executive Director Lise Martin is quoted in this article in the Globe and Mail, which highlights the lack of action from the federal government on creating the promised National Action Plan Against Gender-Based Violence.
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Resources We Like
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Children Experience Coercive Control: What You Need to Know
Direct and indirect experiences of coercive control are harmful to the well-being of children, but these harms may go unrecognized when they differ from conventional ideas about what violence looks like. This Issue-based newsletter from the Learning Network examines some of the actions and impacts that shape how children experience coercive control by a parent, and how a more holistic view of these processes can help support survivors.
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Advocacy on Federal Bills C-5 and C-21
WSC has been working with several partner organizations to advocate for changes to recent federal legislation. Read the brief on Bill C-5, which proposes amendments to the Criminal Code and to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) and a letter opposing Bill C-21 on gun control to learn more.
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Coercive Control: A Mechanism to Better Identify and Intervene in Domestic Violence
Also on the topic of coercive control, the Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale in Quebec recently released a new literature review (only available in French) that looks at coercive control in the context of the judicial system. The report defines coercive control and explores its impacts on survivors and the justice system, looks at the limitations of the current legal framework, and shares promising practices from Quebec and around the world on how coercive control can be better understood and addressed in the judicial context.
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What We've Enjoyed!
We have really enjoyed reading Samra Zafar’s memoir, A Good Wife. The book tells the harrowing and inspiring story of a young girl who grows into a woman of courage and power in the face of oppression. She faced years of abuse after arriving in Canada as a teenage bride in a hastily arranged marriage. The book is based on her journey of escaping abuse to pursue her education and shed light on gender-based oppression.
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