History of RESOLVE

Family violence creates widespread social, legal, psychological, health and financial problems for tens of thousands of Canadians every year. In recognition of the need to address this very serious problem, the Manitoba Research Centre on Family Violence and Violence Against Women was established at the University of Manitoba in 1992. It is a collaborative endeavour of the three Manitoba Universities and a range of public and voluntary sector organizations. While based in Manitoba it is a regional centre eager to work collaboratively with researchers and agencies in Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories.

The goal of this regional centre is to undertake research which will offer practical, action-oriented ways to help end family violence. It is essential that we provide services for victims of family violence and intervention and treatment for offenders. We must also go beyond providing these services and eliminate the violence in our homes, schools and communities.

Research can help us to uncover the causes of family violence. It can also generate effective strategies for action, and help us to use our limited resources in the most productive ways. Each project of the Research Centre is being directed by a multi-disciplinary team comprised of academic researchers and representatives from community based organizations.

A particular focus of the research is examining strategies to stop the intergenerational cycle of violence, examining programs for children in schools, shelters and community agencies and programs for parents in shelters, correctional institutions and community.

RESOLVE, formerly known as the Manitoba Research Centre on Family Violence and Violence Against Women, is a regional research network involving the three prairie provinces. Our administration office is located in the University of Manitoba, with satellite offices located in the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Calgary.

What all of our projects have in common is active participation of community and university based researchers and a commitment to produce results which are useful in policy and practice development as well as useful in the academic setting.

In the past two years our network has expanded to include service providers, government policy makers and universities in all three provinces.

Through RESOLVE, they work together and share information, to ensure that programs designed to serve our urban, rural, aboriginal and ethnic communities are based on the "best practices" of all three provinces.

DECEMBER 6: IN REMEMBRANCE AND RECOGNITION In remembrance of all women who have died as a result of violence,  and in recognition of the ongoing work of women in the struggle to end violence. To help mark December 6, Status of Women Canada's website is featuring a special page providing information and an "Organizer's Tool Kit".