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COVID-19 and the Impact on Service Providers and Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence Literature Review
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Examining the Nature & Context of Intimate Partner Violence in 2SLGBTQ+ Communities
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RESOLVE is looking for volunteers to take part in a study of rural women’s experiences as victims of violence in their intimate partner relationships, and their experiences of help-seeking
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RESOLVE is seeking service providers who have worked with survivors of intimate partner violence in rural areas of Manitoba
Research projects
RESOLVE’s research projects help to uncover the causes of family violence and generate effective strategies for action. Each project is directed by a multi-disciplinary team comprised of academic researchers and representatives from community-based organizations.
New projects
RESOLVE is engaged in a number of new research projects in Manitoba, across the prairies and across Canada.
Assessing Capacity to Conduct Indigenous-Based Research and Engage with Indigenous Communities in the Prairie Provinces
The project will include a comprehensive examination of the RESOLVE Network's current research capacity for conducting community-engaged Indigenous research and the development of strategy to increase our current capacity. The project will result in the Network having greater capacity to conduct research based on stronger relationships with Indigenous partners and will embrace fundamental principles, such as good faith, reciprocity, and trust. Outcomes of the project will be shared broadly - with UM senior administration, research centres affiliated with the University of Manitoba, the seven partnering universities affiliated with the RESOLVE Network, and the four other gender-based violence research centres across Canada.
Investigators and community partners
RESOLVE Manitoba: Dr. Kendra Nixon, Director of RESOLVE, Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Work
Advisory Committee Members
- Dr. Kendra Nixon, Faculty of Social Work, Director of RESOLVE
- Nikki Klymochko, Faculty of Social Work, MSW-IK-Student Research Assistant
- Logan Stalker, Faculty of Social Work, Student Research Assistant
- Dr. Marlyn Bennett, Faculty of Social Work, MSW-IK
- Dr. Michael Yellow Bird, Faculty of Social Work
- Dr. Adele Perry, Centre for Human Rights Research and Faculty of Arts
- Dr. Frank Deer, Faculty of Education
- Elder Belinda Vandenbroeck
- Sharon Mason, Circling Buffalo
- Elder Wanda Murdock, Indigenous Student Centre (U of M)
- Jeneen Dederick, Manitoba Inuit Association (MIA)
- Jac Nobliss, Faculty of Social Work, MSW-IK
ATTACH Program: Promoting Vulnerable Children's Health at Scale
Through integrated Knowledge Translation (iKT)(Graham, Kothari et al. 2018) and Patient Engagement (PE)(CIHR/SPOR 2014, Alberta SPOR SUPPORT Unit 2018) approaches—where patients, health care professionals and health system administrators are partners—and along with our SPOR collaborators (e.g. Alberta SPOR Support Unit), we are conducting an effectiveness-implementation hybrid (EIH) Type II study of ATTACH™.
Co-primary objectives evaluate clinical intervention effectiveness and implementation strategy feasibility(Curran, Bauer et al. 2012) in naturalistic, real-world, settings, as delivered by community agencies. ATTACH™ is a promising early intervention and psychoeducational parenting program, designed for delivery at community agencies serving families of preschoolers affected by toxic stress (e.g. parental depression and addiction, family violence, poverty) (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University 2016).
Children’s exposure to toxic stress predicts developmental problems (e.g. cognitive and motor), physical health problems (e.g. inflammatory disorders), and years of life lost to disability, resulting in health care system burden (Cuijpers, Smit et al. 2011, Brent and Silverstein 2013). According to the 2019 ‘Vibrant and Healthy Kids’ Report of the National Academies, effective early interventions focused on supporting parent-child relationships are urgently needed to reduce societal health inequities stemming from childhood stress exposures (National Academies of Sciences 2019). ATTACH™ is poised to address this need.
Investigators and community partners
RESOLVE Manitoba: Dr. Kendra Nixon, University of Manitoba, Dr. Nicole Letourneau, Kharah Ross, Kathryn Birnie, Ian Graham, Michael Kobor, Sarah Merrill, Kendra Nixon, Caroline Piotrowski, and Dr. Karen Wood
Community partners include: Calgary Urban Project Society, Discovery House, Sonshine Centre, Steinbach FRC, Alcove Addiction Recovery
Caught in the Middle: Children’s Involvement in the Court Process as it Relates to Intimate Partner Violence
The Caught in the Middle project will aim to examine how family and criminal courts intersect in cases involving domestic violence. For this study, RESOLVE researchers will engage in a qualitative research approach and interview parents who have been involved in both criminal and family court in cases involving domestic violence as well as young adults whose parents were involved in both criminal and family court in cases involving domestic violence when these young adults were children. Through qualitative research practices, RESOLVE researchers will identify the extent at which children were involved in decision making processes surrounding custody and visitation, whether their interests and welfare were taking into consideration as well as the impact that decisions made by the courts had on their mental and physical well-being.
Investigators and community partners
RESOLVE Manitoba: Dr. Kendra Nixon (Principal Investigator) and Dr. Lorna Turnbull, Faculty of Law, (University of Manitoba)
Renée Hoffart, RESOLVE Project Coordinator
Community partners include: Winnipeg Children’s Access Agency
Caught in the Middle environmental scan
The Manitoba-wide environmental scan consists of 76 agencies and programs that are available to children and families involved in criminal and family court proceedings in cases of intimate partner violence. The agencies and programs listed offer a variety of services that are intended to be inclusive to all families, regardless of background or situation. Many of the programs are available free of charge or at a very low cost, making them as accessible as possible.
Download the Caught in the Middle environmental scan here.
Young adult participants needed for research study
For this study, researchers are interested in interviewing young adults 18-24 years of age whose parents were involved with both criminal and family court cases involving domestic violence.
If you are interested in participating or you would like more information, please email Renée Hoffart through email at Renee.Hoffart@umanitoba.ca or text 204-510-3291.
COVID-19 and the Experiences of IPV Survivors and Service Providers
The COVID-19 and the Experiences of IPV Survivors and Service Providers project aims to address current and critical gaps by better understanding how pandemics, such as COVID-19, directly impact survivors of IPV and the organizations that serve them.
The objectives of the project include:
- Establish a foundational understanding of the nature and scope of the impact of pandemics on the social issue of IPV;
- Explore the impact of pandemics on IPV survivors;
- Identify how pandemics can put IPV survivors at additional risk;
- Explore the impacts of pandemics on IPV service providers;
- Explore how IPV-serving organizations in Manitoba responded to COVID-19, including what barriers they encountered;
- Develop policy and practice recommendations for policymakers and service providers. Through these objectives, the extent of the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on IPV victims/survivors and service providers will be identified.
Investigators and community partners
RESOLVE Manitoba: Dr. Kendra Nixon, University of Manitoba, Renée Hoffart, RESOLVE Project Coordinator, University of Manitoba
Brandon University: Nadine Henriquez and Nadine Smith
Community partners include: Government of Manitoba (Status of Women) Family Violence Prevention Program.
Adult participants needed for research study
Help us examine how pandemics (such as COVID-19) impact survivors of intimate partner violence and the organizations that serve them and their families.
Criteria for participation include the following:
- Adults (18 years or older)
- Resides in Manitoba, Canada
- Experienced some form of intimate partner violence since mid-March 2020.
- Currently in a safe situation free from violence
If you are interested in participating or you would like more information, please contact us at 1-866-815-9228 or email Renée Hoffart at Renee.Hoffart@umanitoba.ca.
Service provider participants needed for research study
Participants in the study are required to meet certain eligibility criteria (listed below). If the criteria is met, RESOLVE is interested in hearing about your experiences through a survey. The information provided in the survey will be used to develop policy and practice recommendations to improve service provision responses within the context of pandemics.
Criteria for participation include the following:
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18+ years of age
- Works in Manitoba, Canada
- Service providers who have worked with intimate partner violence victims, perpetrators, and/or children exposed to violence within the context of COVID-19 (March 2020 - present)
Development of a Two-Eyed Seeing Approach to Working with Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
The research and development project will gather the wisdom of lived experience, knowledge keepers, academics, and local community service providers to inform the creation of a Two-Eyed Seeing trauma specific healing model for people who have experienced childhood sexual abuse. The research will also identify existing service gaps in Manitoba, highlighting the urgency around addressing this important societal issue.
Investigators and community partners
RESOLVE Manitoba: Dr. Kendra Nixon (Co-Investigator), Ph.D., Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Work, U of M and Director, RESOLVE Network
Tammy Nelson, (Primary Investigator) Ph.D. Student, Faculty of Social Work, University of Manitoba
Community Partner: The Laurel Centre Inc.
Examining the Nature & Context of Intimate Partner Violence in 2SLGBTQ+ Communities
Examining the Nature & Context of Intimate Partner Violence in 2SLGBTQ+ Communities is tri-provincial project that will examine the nature and context of intimate partner violence within 2SLGBTQ+ communities across the Prairie Provinces. In doing so, this research aims to garner a comprehensive understanding of the service responses toward the issue and the possible barriers that might exist in relation to accessing these services. Existing research does not provide a clear picture of the context, severity and consequences of intimate partner violence against 2SLGBTQ+ persons making it difficult to develop appropriate services to meet the needs of this population. The study will address this gap through a mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) examination of 2SLGBTQ+ experiences, including the nature, severity, context and consequences of intimate partner violence incidents, the experience of help-seeking and gaps and barriers experienced by 2SLGBTQ+ persons who do seek help.
Investigators and community partners
RESOLVE Manitoba: Dr. Kendra Nixon, Dr. Janice Ristock, and Dr. Tracey Peter (Co-Principal Investigators), University of Manitoba, & Renée Hoffart, RESOLVE Project Coordinator, University of Manitoba
RESOLVE Alberta: Dr. Nicole Letourneau, University of Calgary
RESOLVE Saskatchewan: Dr. Karen Wood, University of Saskatchewan
Community partners include: The Rainbow Resource Centre, OUTSaskatoon, and Sagesse
Members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities needed to participate in online survey
RESOLVE is seeking survey participants for a study entitled: Examining the Nature & Context of Intimate Partner Violence in 2SLGBTQ+ Communities. Participants in the study are required to meet certain eligibility criteria listed below. If the criteria is met, RESOLVE is interested in hearing your experience through a survey. The information provided in the survey will be used to learn how to improve service provision responses toward survivors of intimate partner violence.
Participant eligibility criteria:
- Participant must be 18+ years of age
- Participant must identify as a member of a 2SLGBTQ+ community
- Participant must have experienced intimate partner violence between 2015-2020 in one of the Prairie Provinces
The survey should take about 20-30 minutes to complete. At the end of the survey, you will be asked whether you would be interested in taking part in an optional follow-up interview that will be conducted over telephone of video conference (i.e., Zoom). The survey can be accessed here.
Members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities needed to participate in interviews
RESOLVE Manitoba is looking for volunteers to take part in a study about experiences of intimate partner violence in 2SLGBTQ+ communities.
Eligibility to participate in an interview:
- Adults (18 years or older)
- Experienced some form of intimate partner violence between 2010-2020
- Resides in and/or experienced intimate partner violence in Manitoba, Canada
- Identifies with a 2SLGBTQ+ community
- Currently in a safe situation free from violence
To participate in an interview or for more information, please contact us at 1-866-815-9228 or email renee.hoffart@umanitoba.ca.
Your participation in an interview and any information that could identify you personally will be kept confidential.
Responding to Women Who Experience Intimate Partner Violence in Rural Municipalities Across the Prairies
The tri-provincial study will explore rural women's experience of intimate partner violence and help-seeking across the Prairie Provinces. Although there is a growing body of research on female survivors of intimate partner violence, there is a paucity of research on the experiences of rural women. Existing studies do not provide a clear picture of the unique circumstances of rural women who experience intimate partner violence or of the obstacles they face when seeking safety for themselves and their children. The study will address this knowledge gap through a qualitative examination of rural women that will document the ways in which rural culture and context impacts their experience of violence, how these experiences interact with co-occurring challenges experienced by women and the barriers and challenges that occur within this context as women seek help.
Investigators and community partners
RESOLVE Manitoba: Dr. Kendra Nixon (Principal Investigator), University of Manitoba
RESOLVE Alberta: Dr. Nicole Letourneau, University of Calgary, and Dr. Dawn McBride, University of Lethbridge.
RESOLVE Saskatchewan: Dr. Karen Wood and Dr. Carolyn Brooks, University of Saskatchewan
Community partners include: The Women’s Resource Centre in Brandon, Ending Violence Across Manitoba (EVA MB), the Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS), Odyssey House, Dr. Margaret Savage Crisis Centre, Safe Haven Women’s Shelter Society, Family and Community Support Services, and Sagesse.
Environmental Scan
The Responding to Women Who Experience Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Rural Municipalities Across the Prairies environmental scan reports on the agencies, programs, and services available to women from rural municipalities in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta who have experienced IPV. The scan includes a listing of organizations and a brief description of the services they provide for each province. The scope of the scan includes telephone support lines, criminal justice services, shelter and housing, counselling and support services, and services related to parenting and children affected by IPV. Agencies and programs are listed under these categories.
Download the Environmental Scan
Adult participants needed for research study
RESOLVE Manitoba is looking for volunteers to take part in a study of rural women’s experiences as victims of violence in their intimate partner relationships, and their experiences of help-seeking.
Eligibility to participate in an interview:
- 18 years or older
- Have experienced intimate partner violence (within the last 10 years)
- Have been living in a rural area during their experiences of violence
- Are no longer living with their abusive/violent partner
If you are interested in participating or you would like more information, please contact Masha Kardashevskaya at 204-890-1019, 1-833-440-1960 or by email masha.kardashevskaya@umanitoba.ca.
A $40 honorarium will be provide for participation in a 1-1.5 hour phone interview.
Service provider participants needed for research study
RESOLVE is seeking service providers to participate in a focus group with other service providers.
Participants will be asked questions about:
- The nature and context of IPV experienced by women from rural areas.
- The impact of these experiences on women.
- Gaps, barriers and challenges experienced by women from rural areas when seeking help.
- Suggestions for ways that services and the response to rural women who experience IPV can be improved.
The focus groups will take 90 to 120 minutes to complete and will be by teleconference or videoconference at a convenient time. Your participation is voluntary and any information that could identify you personally will be kept confidential.
If you are interested in participating or you would like more information, please contact Masha Kardashevskaya at 204-890-1019, 1-833-440-1960 or by email masha.kardashevskaya@umanitoba.ca.
Supporting the Health of Survivors of Family Violence in Family Law Proceedings
This project is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada and is designed to address the unique need of survivors of family violence within the family justice system. Canada’s research centres on violence against women will initiate, host and support a Community of Practice (CoP) comprised of family violence experts, survivors, family lawyers, researchers, mental health and social service professionals.
The overarching goal of the project is to enhanced support to survivors of violence through the family law system by increasing opportunities for family law practitioners to have training, guidance and resources to support trauma-informed practice, and to improve coordination of services that will enhance the safety and well-being of all parties.
Investigators and community partners
RESOLVE Manitoba & Academic Partners:
- Kendra Nixon, Director RESOLVE
- Renée Hoffart, Research Associate RESOLVE
- Kathleen McDonald, Research Assistant, RESOLVE
- Lorna Turnbull, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba
Community Partners:
- Ashley Stewart, Coordinator, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program, HSC
- Matthew Maher, Researcher, Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth
- Wayne Eisbrenner, Winnipeg Children’s Access Agency
- Ingrid Pflug, Crown Counsel, Family Law Section, Government of Manitoba
- Crystal Brown, Community Justice Development Coordinator, Southern Chiefs’ Organization
- Janis Raeburn, Manager, Family Guide, Domestic Violence Specialist, Victim Services
- Deena Brock, Provincial Coordinator, Manitoba Association of Women’s Shelters
- Robynne Kazina, Partner and Family Law Lawyer, Taylor McCaffrey LLP
- Paula Ediger, Women’s Relationship Counsellor, A Woman’s Place, NorWest Co-op
- Leita Kalinowsky, Acting Executive Director, Family Resolution Service, Government of Manitoba
- Carol Reimer, Community Resource Program Manager, IRCOM
- Shane Wepruk, Domestic Violence Intervention Coordinator, Winnipeg Police Service
- Sonia Grmela, Executive Director, ChezRachel
- Jennifer Laviolette, participant with lived experience
- Kimlee Wong, participant with lived experience
- Masha Giller, participant with lived experience
New Resource Available:
Community of Practice Bulletins:
- Issue No 1. - February 2021
Community of Practice Research Briefs:
- Issue No. 1 – Supporting the health of survivors of family violence in family law proceedings
- Issue No. 2 – Why Can’t Everyone Just Get Along?: How BC’s family law system puts survivors in danger
- Issue No. 3 – Coercive Control and Family Law
- Issue No. 4 - A Review of the Recent Recommendations in Québec (English or French)
- Issue No. 5 - The 2021 Divorce Act: Using Statutory Interpretation Principles to Support Substantive Equality for Women and Children in Family Violence Cases (English or French)
- Issue No. 6 - COVID-19, the Shadow Pandemic, and Access to Justice for Survivors of Domestic Violence Webinar - Please share your feedback with us on this research brief
- Issue No. 7- Trauma-Informed Approaches to Family Violence in Family Law
- Issue No. 8 - Engaging Fathers Who Commit Family Violence: Issues and Challenges for Family Courts
- Issue No. 9 - Implementing Children’s Participation Rights in All Family Court Proceedings
- Issue No. 10 - Contributing to the Health and Safety of Family Violence Survivors: Reducing the Risks of Secondary Victimization
- Issue No. 11 - Supporting Survivors through Court Reform: Assessing the Role of Integrated and Specialized Courts for Family Law in British Columbia
- Issue No. 12 - Survivors’ Views of Family Courts: Findings from the Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative with Vulnerable Populations (CDHPIVP)
- Issue No. 13 - Family Law Mediation in Family Violence Cases: Basics & Best Practices
- Issue No. 14 - Tech-Facilitated Violence: An Introduction (English or French)
Past Community of Practice Webinars
The Co-Occurrence of Parental Alienation Claims & Intimate Partner Violence (March 2022)
Hosted by: RESOLVE
Presenters: Dr. Peter Jaffe, Justice Mirwaldt, and Robynne Kazina
The past decade has seen an unprecedented increase in parenting disputes in family court. On one hand, there is a growing recognition of family violence as a gender-based crime and a legislated factor for judges to consider in parenting decisions. On the other hand, the concept of alienation has been increasingly misused to blame protective parents and their children's resistance or reluctance to have parenting time with perpetrators of family violence. Some of these cases represent litigation abuse as an extension of coercive control in the intimate partner relationship. The presentation will outline the controversaries in the field and the inappropriate use of alienation. The multiple factors that may lie behind a child refusing or resisting parenting will be discussed as well as the dilemmas for the family justice system to find differentiated parenting plans in these cases.
Justice Mirwaldt will discuss the many reforms that the Court of Queen’s Bench has made in the past three years to address systemic court delays that had created a barrier to justice for Manitoba families. Under the new court rules family violence is addressed at the outset of a family case through a system of robust triage conferencing and case management. Timely and meaningful interactions with a family court judge under a one-judge model has led to early resolution of the majority of the court’s cases, even those involving allegations of parental alienation and family violence.
- Download Parental Alienation Resources
- Download RESOLVE's Presentation Slides
- Download Dr. Peter Jaffe's Presentation Slides
- Download Justice Mirwaldt Presentation Slides
- Download Robynne Kazina Presentation Slides
Intersecting Inequities in Family Court: A Trauma-Informed Critique (January 2022)
Hosted by: Western University Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children
Presenters: Archana Medhekar, Archana Medhekar Law, Ontario, Kamaljit Kaur Lehal, Lehal Law, British Columbia, & Jael Duarte, LA Henry Law, New Brunswick
Canada’s family courts are confronted with cases involving complex cultural contexts and challenging family dynamics. The family justice system often enters the realm of resolving Canada's multicultural puzzle and is tasked with making decisions regarding complex overlapping issues and facts within a legislative framework. This webinar will examine the relationship between the competing interests within the family court system as there continues to be the need for systemic change of the family dispute resolution system that designs justice for sustainable family conflict resolution.
- Download the Presentation Slides in English
- Download the Presentation Slides in French
- Watch the Webinar Recording
Implementing Children’s Rights in All Family Court Cases (November 25, 2021)
Hosted by: The FREDA Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children
Presenters: The Honourable Donna J. Martinson, Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Retired, The Honourable Judge Rose Raven, Senior judge of the BC Provincial Court, Phyllis Kenney, Q.C., Lauren Irvine, & Dr. Margaret Jackson, Professor Emerita and Director of the FREDA Centre at SFU
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child states that the “right of all children [under 18] to be heard and taken seriously constitutes one of the fundamental values of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child”. Obtaining children’s views and preferences in court processes is now common in many cases, but the right to do so can be marginalized for children in family violence and or parental alienation cases. In addition, more attention has been paid to hearing children’s voices generally, than it has to ensuring that those views are taken seriously and given due weight in accordance with the children’s ages and maturity. This webinar will consider the issue of how children’s rights in all family law court proceedings can be implemented effectively, with the involvement of independent legal representation for children, using the Eight Child Rights Safeguards/Guarantees which the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child states are necessary to do so.
Tech-Facilitated Violence: An Introduction (November 24, 2021)
Hosted by: RESOLVE
Presenters: Jane Bailey of the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, and Suzie Dunn of Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law
Technology is increasingly used by abusers to perpetrate violence, whether through unsecured devices or by making online spaces unsafe. This may come in the form of online stalking, the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, doxing, or threats, just to name a few. Technology-facilitated violence (TFV) can happen in the context of romantic relationships, but is also perpetrated by strangers or online trolls. But what do we mean by doxing and what is an online troll?
This presentation provides information on what “technology-facilitated violence” is and helps explain some of the terminology used to describe this kind of violence. Professors Jane Bailey of the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, and Suzie Dunn of Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law discuss the various types of TFV, why it is a growing societal problem, and provide helpful resources and safety tips. They also talk about social media companies’ role in TFV and how ending TFV involves a wide variety of responses from individuals, social media companies and governments.
Self-Represented Litigants and Family Violence: Making a Difficult Experience Even Worse (June 15, 2021)
Hosted by: Western University Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children
Presenters: Julie Macfarlane, The Honourable Mary Jo Nolan, The Honourable Lynda C. Templeton, Malcolm Bennett, and Julie Lee
Family court is filled with self-represented litigants – up to 50% across Canada and closer to 80% in urban centres. Those SRLs include individuals asking for restraining orders (there is no disaggregated data in Ontario) as well as those experiencing family violence seeking custody, access, child support etc. US research (Kercin, 2015) shows that the outcomes for this second group are significantly worse for those without representation, which matches NSRLP data on systemically less favourable outcomes for SRLs than represented litigants. While Canadian data suggests similar levels of self-representation among men and women, NSRLP suggests that the way that courts treat women is often markedly different and subject to judicial stereotypes (NSRLP, 2018). We also see some examples of process abuse by controlling male partners (for example, continual reopening of child support and access) which suggests a possible relationship with family violence.
The many difficulties of self-representation (including stereotyping and stigmatizing by lawyers and judges) are further exacerbated by the personal experiences of those living with family violence, who often feel further traumatized by their court experience. The level of understanding among members of the Bench of the systemic issues facing those living with family violence and/or in an ongoing controlling relationship appears to remain low. Recent Australian research on family violence and self-represented litigants (Mangman et al 2020) makes a number of recommendations for further assistance for and protection of SRLs experiencing intimate partner violence including a ban on cross-exam by an alleged perpetrator of a victim (in Canada this only applies to those under 18), enhanced court safety measures, and further calls for enhanced training for judges and lawyers.
Finally, even with legal representation there are innumerable issues for the survivors of family violence in undertaking both civil and criminal proceedings and the trauma that is raised. “Going Public: A Survivors Journey from Grioef to Acyion” (Macfarlane, 2020) sets out a series of recommendations for addressing the worst of these systemic problems inside the legal system.
- Watch the Webinar Recording
- Download the Presentation Slides in English
- Download the Presentation Slides in French
The Pandemic and Family Justice: Unequal Outcomes and Lack of Access to Justice (April 29, 2021)
Hosted by: Western University Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children
Presenters: Claire Houston, Rachel Birnbaum and Nicholas Bala
This webinar shared developing knowledge from a research project examining the reduction in access to Ontario’s family justice system due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from a survey of over 100 family justice professionals in Ontario highlight how the pandemic has affected families involved in the system. Certain groups including high conflict families, self-representing litigants, victims of intimate partner violence, children experiencing abuse and neglect, and families involved in the child welfare system have been disproportionately impacted by the reduction in family court access and related services since the onset of the pandemic. Innovative responses by family court and family justice professionals were discussed, along with recommendations for how these practices can be modified or adopted to better serve families involved in the family justice system.
- Watch the Webinar Recording
- Download the Presentation Slides in English
- Download the Presentation Slides in French
Healing Trauma: Gender, Trauma, and Paths of Healing in Family Law Disputes (March 31, 2021)
Hosted by: Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research
Presenters: Jenn Gorham, and Leland Maerz
Many family law lawyers have clients suffering from trauma due to domestic violence. The family court system often has expectations of witnesses that adversely affects not only the credibility of the trauma victim, but also their overall well-being during trial.
- Watch the Webinar Recording
The Impact of COVID-19 on Ontario’s Court Related Services for Survivors of Family Violence (March 9, 2021)
Hosted by: Western University Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children
Presenters: Amanda Bruyns, Tim Kelly, Julie Lee, Janet Mosher, and AnnaLise Trudell
This webinar reviewed the impact of the pandemic in Ontario on survivors of family violence with a focus on access to specialized services. The presenters discussed the increase in violence and vulnerability of survivors as well as the challenges in accessing needed services. The pandemic has created significant barriers as well as some innovative service approaches. In particular, the webinar addressed services that often required as a part of family court proceedings such as supervised access, batterer intervention and parenting programs (PAR and Caring Dads), legal advice, counselling, and housing.
- Watch the Webinar Recording
- Download the Presentation Slides in English
- Download the Presentation Slides in French
COVID-19, the Shadow Pandemic, and Access to Justice for Survivors of Domestic Violence (March 6, 2021)
Hosted by: RESOLVE Manitoba
Presenters: Jennifer Koshan, Janet Mosher, Wanda Wiegers, Paula Ediger, and Zahra Hosseini
In this past webinar presenters, Jennifer Koshan, Janet Mosher, and Wanda Wiegers shared their research providing a preliminary assessment of the extent to which Canada’s early responses to the COVID-19 pandemic prioritized the safety of women and children. Following Jennifer Koshan, Janet Mosher, and Wanda Wiegers presentation, Paula Ediger and Zahra Hosseini discussed the risks and safety concerns that came with COVID-19 protocols and what families had been experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Watch the Webinar Recording
- Download the Presentation 1 Slides (Available in English & French)
- Download the Presentation 2 Slides (Available in English & French)
Why Can’t Everyone Just Get Along? How BC’s Family Law System Puts Survivors in Danger (March 4, 2021)
Hosted by: The FREDA Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children
Presenter: Haley Hrymak | Moderator: Margaret Jackson
The focus of this webinar was on Rise’s research results regarding the impacts the family court system had on survivors, particularly to their health. Further, this webinar focused on the recommendations on how we can improve the court system in BC, starting with mandatory family violence training for lawyers, judges and police, and the creation of a specialized family court designed to address the needs of people attending court with a family law matter, most importantly their own safety and well-being.
- Watch the Webinar Recording
- Download the Research Brief
Bridging the Gap Between the Needs of Survivors of Family Violence and the Realities of Family Court (December 15, 2021)
Hosted by: Western University Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children
Presenters: Pamela Cross and Dr. Linda Baker
This webinar addressed the challenges survivors of family violence face when seeking safety and support in the family court, barriers survivors face due to the nature of trauma they have suffered and the many demands of the adversarial system from a legal and psychological perspective, how court-related professionals and the system can become trauma informed and promising practices.
- Watch the Webinar Recording
Ongoing projects
RESOLVE’s ongoing research projects include:
In Search of Promising Practices: Canadian Child Protection Responses to Cases of Intimate Partner Violence
The aim of the project is to develop a better understanding of new policies and practices that have been implemented by Canadian Child Protective Services authorities in response to children exposed to violence in the home, as well as to identify policy and practice gaps.
Investigators and Community Partners
Investigators: Dr. Kendra Nixon, Dr. Bruce McLaurin, Dr. Ramona Alaggia, Dr. H. Monty Montgomery and, Dr. Tara Black
Community Partners: Ikwe Widdjiitiwin Inc.
Funder: SSHRC
Manitoba Justice Wellness Program Evaluation
The Manitoba Justice Wellness Program Evaluation research project includes conducting an evaluation of a program addressing secondary trauma among staff of Manitoba Justice.
Investigators and Community Partners
Investigators: Dr. Cheryl Fraehlich, University of Manitoba
Student Research Assistants: Tabitha Comeau
Partners: Manitoba Justice
Funder: Manitoba Justice
Winnipeg Family Violence Court Data Collection Project
The project aims to collect data for the Winnipeg Family Violence Court Project.
Investigators and Community Partners
Investigators: Dr. E. Jane Ursel, Jessica Gomez, Richelle Ready and Renée Hoffart
Partners: Minister of Justice
Funder: Manitoba Justice
Completed projects
RESOLVE’s completed projects generated effective strategies for action, through the examination of the experiences of victims and survivors of family and intimate partner violence. The completed projects each produced results which are useful in policy and practice development as well as useful in the academic setting.
2020-2011
Year | Project | Budget |
2018 | Winnipeg Family Violence Court | $20,000 |
2018 | Building Relationships | $245,833 |
2017-2022 | Looking After Each Other: A Dignity Promotion Project | $300,000 |
2017 | Winnipeg Family Violence Court | $20,000 |
2017 |
The Multi-Faces of IPV Across the Prairies: Men as Victims The Multi-Faces of IPV Across the Prairies: Men as Victims Final Report The Multi-Faces of IPV Across the Prairies: Men as Victims Environmental Scan The Multi-Faces of IPV Across the Prairies: Men as Victims Summary Report |
$60,000 |
2016-2021 | Manitoba Justice Wellness Program Evaluation | $49,700 |
2016-2020 | In Search of Promising Practices: Canadian Child Protection Responses to Cases of Intimate Partner Violence | $155,193 |
2016 | Choose 2 Change | $9,785 |
2016 | Winnipeg Family Violence Court | $45,000 |
2016 | Tracking Sexual Assault Reports | $56,000 |
2015-2020 |
Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative for Vulnerable Populations Achako nastakonikewin (Reconnecting our Spirits) Presentation Slides KA PASPICIK KITIMAHITOWIN WIKIWAK (Survivors of Domestic Violence) |
$136,250 |
2015 | Winnipeg Family Violence Court | $20,000 |
2015 | Observatory Research | $11,500 |
2015 | Domestic Violence in the Prairie Province’s Jewish Community | $9,022 |
2014 | Observatory Research | $35,500 |
2014 | Winnipeg Family Violence Court - Justice | $20,000 |
2014 | Winnipeg Family Violence Court - Winnipeg Foundation | $25,000 |
2014 | Framework for Strengthening Families - WISH | $12,240 |
2014 | Report on Trauma Forum - Klinic | $6,750 |
2013 | Developing Protocols and Guidelines for Programming at Wahbung Abinoonjiiag | $5,000 |
2013 | Evaluating Programming Feedback: Analysis of Existing Data | $6,700 |
2013 | Evaluating a Framework for a Childhood Sexual Abuse Program for Men | $7,200 |
2013 | Winnipeg Family Violence Court | $20,000 |
2013 | Development of a Medicine Wheel Practice Framework for Training and Education | $8,000 |
2012-2018 | Experiences of Aboriginal Foster Parents with Children in the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum | $276,715 |
2012 | Winnipeg Family Violence Court | $20,000 |
2012 | Mothering, Guiding and Responding to Children | $2,000 |
2012 | Evaluation of Ndinawe Child and Youth Care Certificate Program | $12,700 |
2012 | Developing an Online Trauma Informed Training Workshop: Formative Evaluation | $29,920 |
2011-2016 | Rural and Northern Community Response to Intimate Partner Violence - SSHRC CURA | $225,421 |
2011 | Sexual Exploitation Among Female Youth in Northern Manitoba: An Exploratory Study | $4,350 |
2011 | TRC - Phase 2 | $30,000 |
2011 | Positive Discipline | $7,830 |
2011 | First Steps in Program Model Development: The Impact of Child Sexual Abuse on Males | $7,620 |
2010-2001
Year | Project | Budget |
2010 | TRC - Phase 1 - TRC & CAHRD | $67,000 |
2010 | Women Helping Women | $13,985 |
2010 | Obtaining Permanent Legal Council | $2,000 |
2009-2011 | Mothering in the Context of Domestic Violence in Canada and the United Kingdom | $2,000 |
2009 | Summary report for the trauma recovery centre planning day | $1,000 |
2009 | Voices of the Women of WISH: Analysis of Client Feedback | $8,585 |
2009 | Consideration of Neuropsychological Impacts of Trauma in Family Violence Programming: Phase 1 | $9,370 |
2009 | An Evaluation of Client Satisfaction with Domestic Violence Group Programming at the First Nations Healing Centre | $8,272 |
2009 | Healing Journey Cost Analysis Component: | |
2009 | Elder Abuse - Manitoba Government | $20,000 |
2008-2011 | Max Bell Foundation - An Evaluation of the Manitoba Front End Project | $192,780 |
2008-2009 | Outcome Evaluation of the New Realities Project at Wolseley Family Place - Winnipeg Foundation | $34,467 |
2008-2009 | Winnipeg Law Foundation - Winnipeg Family Violence Court Project | $20,000 |
2008 | Canadian Observatory on the Justice System's Response to Intimate Partner Violence | $34,265 |
2008 | Observatory Post Doc Contribution | $31,500 |
2008 | PAF C.A.R.E. Grant Longitudinal | $7,500 |
2008 | Winnipeg Family Violence Court - Manitoba Justice | $20,000 |
2008 | Establishing A System of Program Impact Assessment - PAF C.A.R.E | $8,400 |
2008 | Development of a Men's Family Violence Programming Guide-Violence Workers Association of MB | $9,050 |
2008 | Justice Canada Bail Review Study - Justice Canada | $17,700 |
2008 | Identifying Best Practices to Safely House Abused and Homeless Women-Homeless Secretariat | $5,000 |
2008 | Child Abuse Archive - The Winnipeg Foundation | $10,000 |
2008 | Cost Benefit Study Healing Journey Project; PAF C.A.R.E. $7,500 & SSHRC $10,000 | $17,500 |
2008 | Winnipeg Family Violence Court - Manitoba Law Foundation | $20,000 |
2008 | Client Satisfaction with the Winnipeg Children's Access Assistance Centre - PAF C.A.R.E. | $7,000 |
2008 | Winnipeg Family Violence Court Project; Manitoba Department of Justice | $200,000 |
2008 | Observatory Post Doc Contribution | $315,000 |
2007-2010 | Experiences of Violence in the Lives of Girls | $61,110 |
2007 | Summary Report for the Forum on Trauma Recovery | $5,050 |
2007 | Canadian Observatory on the Justice System's Response to Intimate Partner Violence | $25,000 |
2006-2008 | A Healing Journey: Extending the Voice of Women Funded by PAF C.A.R.E | $15,000 |
2006-2008 | Evaluation of TERF Adult and Youth Programs | $18,390 |
2006-2007 | Phase 2 - Intersecting Sites of Violence in the Lives of Girls | $48,173 |
2006-2007 | Aboriginal Research Interns - C.A.H.R.D. & University of Manitoba | $8,900 |
2006-2007 | Winnipeg Foundation - Family Violence Court | $15,000 |
2006-2007 | Evaluation of the New Realities Project at Wolseley Family Place | $14,852 |
2006-2007 | Legislation and Service Provision Regarding Elder Abuse and/or Neglect in Manitoba | $30,000 |
2006 | Preparation of the Proposal for a Quantitative Study of Violence in the Lives of Girls | $10,000 |
2005-2007 | Manitoba Justice - Family Violence Court | $17,700 |
2005-2007 | Guidelines & Recommendations Manual for Children's Family Violence Programming | $14,750 |
2005-2006 | Winnipeg Foundation - Family Violence Court | $20,000 |
2005 | Alternates Programming Men Charged with Domestic Violence | $1,500 |
2005 | National Crime Prevention - Research Day 2005 | $10,000 |
2004-2009 | CURA - Longitudinal | $1,000,000 |
2004-2007 | Access to Protection Orders | $70,000 |
2004-2005 | Undergraduate Student Internship | $8,120 |
2004-2005 | Aboriginal Research Interns - C.A.H.R.D. | $18,649 |
2004-2005 | Intersecting Sites | $34,440 |
2004 | Program Evaluation Schedules for the Evolve Men's, Women's & Parenting Programs | $2,400 |
2003-2004 | CURA - Longitudinal PROPOSAL | $18,000 |
2003-2004 | North End Women's Centre | $5,150 |
2003-2004 | Osborne House/IWCS | $66,500 |
2002-2005 | Men's Healing Program | $15,200 |
2002-2005 | Aboriginal Specific Programming for Women Dealing with Anger & Violence | $29,700 |
2002 | Child Abuse Archive | $13,500 |
2001-2004 | Ndaawin | $207,525 |
2001-2003 | Family Violence Intervention Team | $31,417 |
2001-2002 | Winnipeg Police Professional Development Day | $18,500 |
2001-2002 | Evaluation of the Brandon Second Stage Housing Facility | $3,535 |
2001-2002 | Evaluation of the Flin Flon Women's Resource Centre & Safe Home | $5,230 |
2001-2002 | Evaluation of the Programs for Laurel Centre | $9,000 |
2001-2002 | Environmental Scan of Family Violence Programming in Canada | $8,385 |
2001 | Peace Bond | $5,658 |
a) Care Grant | $7,500 | |
b) SSHRC Standard Grant | $41,620 |
2000-1994
Year | Project | Budget |
2000-2004 |
CURA - Evaluating the Justice & Community Response to Family Violence in the Prairie Provinces | $260,000 |
2000-2001 | Aboriginal Specific Family Violence Program for Stony Mountain Project | $5,500 |
2000 | Impact on Aboriginal People of Criminal Justice Intervention in Domestic Violence Incidents | $7,600 |
1999-2001 | Evaluation of the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Family Violence Program Stony Mountain Project | $3,500 |
1999-2001 | Evaluation of the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Family Violence Program Stony Mountain Project | $5,384 |
1999-2000 | Development of Evaluation Tools for Visiting/Access Centres | $4,400 |
1999-2000 | Evaluation for L'Entre Temps Des Fanco-Manitobaines Inc. | $2,850 |
1999-2000 | Crime Prevention Centre - Networking Project | $300,000 |
1999 | Aboriginal Men's Family Violence Healing Centre | $3,268 |
1999 | Protect Orders Education Project | $12,030 |
1999 | First Nations Shelter Directors Conference | $10,432 |
1998-2003 | Girls & Youth Involved in Prostitution Phase 1-3 | $245,000 |
1998-2001 | Winnipeg Family Violence Court | $45,000 |
1998-2000 | Evaluation of Alpha House Programs | $2,200 |
1998 | Health Care Professionals and Training Resources on the Abuse of Seniors | $20,325 |
1997-2000 | Canadian Forces Response to Woman Abuse | $29,690 |
1997-1998 | Development of Evaluation Forms for Family Dispute Services of Manitoba | $1,105 |
1997 | Identification of Early Trauma in Women Age 55+ | $500 |
1997 | File Review of Women's Advocacy Program | $1,332 |
1997 | Failure to Function in the Elderly: Sexual Abuse and Other Correlates | $2,000 |
1997 | CHOICES Youth Program - An Evaluation of the CHOICES Youth Program | $2,000 |
1996-1999 | Healthy Relationships Dating Violence Prevention Program | $60,000 |
1996-1999 | The Development of Conflict Coping Skills and Children's Adjustments | $67,000 |
1996-1997 | Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Family Violence Program Stony Mountain Project | $22,273 |
1996-1997 | Public Attitudes to Violence in the Media and Its Impact on Children | $4,900 |
1995-1998 | Court Processing of Adult Complainants of Childhood Sexual Abuse | $97,000 |
1994-1997 | Recidivism Rates Among Wife Abuse Offenders | $15,000 |
Carolynne Boivin scholarship for research in family or gender-based violence
Carolynne Boivin scholarship for research in family or gender-based violence information
About the Carolynne Boivin scholarship for research in family or gender-based violence
Colleagues and board members of the Research and Education for Solutions to Violence and Abuse (RESOLVE) Research Network have acknowledged Carolynne Boivin's contribution to the development of their network through the establishment of a fund at the University of Manitoba. Each year, the available annual income from the fund will be used to offer one or more scholarships valued at a minimum of $4,000 each to graduate students who:
- are enrolled full-time in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Manitoba;
- have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.0 based on the last 60 credit hours (or equivalent) of study; and
- are conducting research in the area of family or gender-based violence.
In any given year, at least one of the scholarships will be awarded with first preference going to a student who has self-declared as a First Nations, Métis, or Inuit from Canada, and second preference to a student who is conducting Indigenous-focused research.
The competition for the scholarships will be advertised each year by RESOLVE, and applicants will be required to submit a brief description (maximum 500 words) of their graduate research.
The selection committee will have the discretion to determine the number and value of awards offered each year in accordance with the terms above. The Vice-Provost (Graduate Education) and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies (or designate) will ask the Director of RESOLVE Manitoba to name the selection committee for this award.
This agreement may be amended by the mutual consent of the donor (or designate) and the University of Manitoba. All such amendments shall be in writing. In the absence of the donor (or designate), and providing all reasonable efforts have been made to consult, the Board of Governors of the University of Manitoba has the right to modify the terms of this award if, because of changed conditions, it becomes necessary to do so. Such modification shall conform as closely as possible to the expressed intention of the donor in establishing the award.
Carolynne Boivin Scholarship for Research in Family or Gender-Based Violence Impact Report
The Carolynne Boivin Scholarship for Research in Family or Gender-Based Violence Impact Report highlights past scholarship recipients whose research has focused on addressing family or gender-based violence and illustrates the true impact the scholarship has had on each recipient personally as well as academically. Download the Impact Report here.
Recipients of the Carolynne Boivin scholarship for research in family or gender-based violence spring 2021
Lauren Bresch (Faculty of Sociology and Criminology)
Research Project: Who is Responsible? Discourses on Mothering and Protecting Children in Service Provider Responses to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Manitoba
Lauren Bresch’s research analyzes how service providers in Manitoba make sense of mothering and the responsibility of protecting children in the context of IPV. Prior feminist research has found that the implementation of gender-neutral legislation for family violence and child protection has shifted the focus away from men’s violence and onto women’s ‘failures’ as mothers. Embedded within dominant discourses surrounding mothers and notions of risk, such policies hold mothers responsible for maintaining a safe home environment for children through controlling, managing, and fleeing men’s violence. If a mother is unable to cease men’s violence from occurring, she can be considered an ‘unfit’ mother subject to losing her child. While these policies aim to protect children from harm, in practice they responsibilize mother-victims of IPV.
Building on these understandings of mothers, Lauren’s research engages in an in-depth critical discourse analysis of key informant interview data collected by the Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative to examine what kinds of discourses are evident among service providers’ framing and response to mothers and children who experience IPV and the ways in which notions of risks have permeated service provision for mother and child victims of IPV.
Using an intersectional feminist lens throughout her research, Lauren seeks to expose problematic policies and practices prevalent in responses towards mothers (with a particular focus on responses towards mothers who are single, poor, and racialized) and children who experience IPV and highlight ways forward to create more humane and effective policies that better protect mothers and their children from violence.
Bolloite Deborah Offor (Faculty of Law)
Research Project: “Noticing” Intersectionality in Sexual Assault Trials: The Influence of Feminist Organisations on the Barton Decision
In the 2019 case of R v Barton, the Supreme Court of Canada, in what might be considered a ground-breaking decision, judicially noticed the fact that myths, stereotypes and discriminatory practices which operate against sexually assaulted women within the Canadian criminal justice system become compounded when the woman in question is Indigenous and more so, when the Indigenous woman is a sex worker. Cindy Gladue, a 36-year-old Métis woman and mother of three was found dead in a bathtub, with an 11cm wound to her vaginal wall, following contracted sexual activities with Barton. Occurrences during the trial, like admission of prejudicial sexual history evidence, and references to Miss. Gladue as a “Native prostitute” led to intervening submissions by feminist organisations— an action that has been criticized as unduly interfering with the appeal process. The objectives of Bolloite’s research are thus to:
- examine the extent to which the advocacy of feminist organisations influenced the Barton decision on appeal, as well as the necessity of their intervention; and
- project the possible impacts that the decision might have for Indigenous sexual assault complainants, going forward.
The expected conclusions and recommendations Bolloite’s findings, will be crucial in critical assessments of the Barton decision, for lawyers, sexual assault complainants, the justice system and most importantly, Indigenous women, who have for too long, had to deal with multiple layers of discrimination within the Canadian society and the criminal justice system, as a consequence of the intersection between their race and gender.
Publications
The RESOLVE Book Series includes publications authored by academics and community practitioners that address topics related to family violence and gender-based violence.
RESOLVE Book Series
The Healing Journey: A Longitudinal Study of Women Who have been Affected by Intimate Partner Violence
The Healing Journey: A Longitudinal Study of Women Who have been Affected by Intimate Partner Violence was a Canadian tri-provincial research study (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) of women abused by intimate partners and examined the nature of the partner abuse, physical and mental conditions, disabilities, child abuse history and quality of life. The research study was conducted between 2006-2008 and resulted in a number of scholarly articles.
Articles
- A longitudinal Study of the Well-being of Canadian Women Abused by Intimate Partners: A Healing Journey
- Mothers Abused by Intimate Partners: Comparisons of Those with Children Placed by Child Protective Services and Those Without
- The Mental Health and Well-Being of Canadian Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Women Abused by Intimate Partners
- The Complexities of Intimate Partner Violence: Mental Health, Disabilities, and Child Abuse History for White, Indigenous, and Other Visible Minority Canadian Women
- Protective Strategies of Mothers Abused by Intimate Partners: Rethinking the Deficit Model
- Mothering, Guiding, and Responding to Children: Are Women Abused by Intimate Partners Different?
Newsletter
Archives
2020 -
2017-2019
Volume 21, 2019
Volume 20, 2018
Volume 19, 2017
2013-2016
Volume 18, 2016
Volume 17, 2015
Volume 16, 2014
Volume 15, 2013
2009-2012
Volume 14, 2012
Volume 13, 2011
- No. 1 Feb (PDF)
- No. 2 May (PDF)
- No. 3 September (PDF)
- No. 4 December (PDF)
Volume 12, 2010
Volume 11, 2009
Contact us
RESOLVE
108 Isbister Building
183 Dafoe Rd W
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry Campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada