END VIOLENCE TOGETHER
For The Dignity Of Every Woman
Insert Agency/Program Name
Presentation Overview
Insert Length of Time
•
•
•
•
•
What Is Violence Against Women?
How Common Is It?
Why Focus on Violence Against Women?
What Is The Impact?
What Can We Do To End Violence Together?
Violence Against Women Includes:
• Sexual Assault
• Violence in Relationships:
Also called Domestic Violence, Domestic
Abuse, Family Violence, Battering, Spousal
Abuse, Intimate Partner Violence
• Criminal Harassment or Stalking
How Common Is
Violence Against Women?
“Violence against women is a persistent
and ongoing problem in Canada and
around the world. It affects women’s
social and economic equality, physical
and mental health, well-being and
economic security.”
Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends 2006
Statistics Canada
How Common Is
Violence Against Women?
“Estimating the prevalence of violence
against women—the number of women in the
population who are affected by
violence—is challenging due to the very
private nature of these experiences.”
Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends 2006
Statistics Canada
How Common Is
Violence Against Women?
“Victims' decisions to report the violence to
criminal justice and social services depend
on a variety of factors, some of which
include fear of the offender, shame and
embarrassment, and regional availability of
services.”
Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends 2006
Statistics Canada
How Common Is
Violence Against Women?
• Almost 40% of women in Canada have been
sexually assaulted since age 16
• Approximately 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys will
experience some form of unwanted sexual
contact before they reach 16.
Dangerous Domains: Violence Against Women in Canada
Johnson, H., 1996
How Common Is
Violence Against Women?
• 6% of sexual assaults are reported to the police in
Canada (E Division, RCMP, 2005)
• In the year 2000, 24,000 sexual assaults were reported
to police in Canada. (Statistics Canada)
• In the year 2000, 3,700 sexual assaults were reported
to police in BC. (Statistics Canada)
• This means that in the year 2000 over 400,000
women in Canada and over 61,000 women in BC
were sexually assaulted.
How Common Is
Violence Against Women?
• 61% of sexual offences reported to police in 2003
involved victims under 18 years old. About 80% of those
victims were girls.
• In some First Nations communities in BC, over 90% of the
women have experienced sexual violence.
• 53% of women who live with disabilities from birth have
been raped, abused or assaulted.
• As with all forms of violence against women, immigrant
women, refugee women, poor women and trans-gendered
people are more vulnerable to sexual violence.
How Common Is
Violence Against Women?
• 10,273 incidents of violence in
relationships were reported to BC
police in 2005:
–
–
–
–
9% increase since 2004
74% involved a male offender
16% involved a female offender
represents 26% of all assaults in BC
How Common Is
Violence Against Women?
Number of spousal homicide victims in Canada 1975- 2004
Newfoundland and Labrador
Prince Edward Island
Nova Scotia
New Brunswick
Quebec
Ontario
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Alberta
British Columbia
Yukon
Northwest Territories
Nunavut
Canada
Female
15
6
62
52
497
753
123
98
244
293
9
22
4
2,178
Male
7
1
24
7
87
186
48
59
97
104
5
11
2
638
How Common Is
Violence Against Women?
• In 2004:
– 75% of criminal harassment (“stalking”) incidents reported
to the police were directed at women
– 50% of the women were stalked by a person with whom
they had an intimate relationship
– Stalking is the number one risk factor for actual and
attempted murders of women (McFarlane et. Al, 2002)
– 90% of people reported for stalking are men
Measuring
Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends, Statistics Canada, 2006)
– Two thirds (66%) of all criminal harassment incidents
occurred at the victim’s home.
Sexual Assault Against Women and Children in BC, 2005
10%
2%
88%
Level 1 Sexual Assault: any forced sexual contact without bodily harm
Level 2 Sexual Assault: forced sexual contact causing or threatening to cause bodily harm using a weapon (imitation or real)Level 3 Sexual Assault:
forced sexual contact that causes aggravated bodily harm or endangers the life of the survivor or others
Sexual Offences Against Children: sexual touching or interference, sexual exploitation and incest
Types of Violence Experienced by Women in Canada, 2004
Beaten, choked,
used a gun/knife,
sexually assaulted
(99,060)
39%
Threatened, threw
something (27,900)
11%
Pushed, shoved,
slapped (101,600)
40%
Kicked, bit, hit, hit
with something
(25,400)
10%
Rate of Criminal Harassment Against Women, By Age
In Canada, 2004
45 years and over
14%
under 25 years
41%
34 to 44 year olds
18%
25 to 34 year olds
27%
Why Focus On Women?
International Agencies such as the
United Nations, the World Health
Organization, and Amnesty
International have identified
violence against women as a
global human rights issue.
Why Focus On Women?
• Women are more likely than men to be
the victims of the most severe forms of
spousal assault, as well as spousal
homicide, sexual assault and stalking.
Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends 2006
Statistics Canada
Why Focus on Women?
Women are:
– 6 times more likely than men to report being
sexually assaulted
– 5 times more likely to require medical attention
as a result of assault
– 3 times more likely to be physically injured
– Almost twice as likely to report being
threatened with or having a gun or knife used
against them
– Much more likely to fear for their lives or the
lives of their children
Spousal Abuse: A Fact Sheet From the Department of Justice Canada
Why Focus on Women?
Gender-based violence is perhaps the
most wide-spread and socially
tolerated of human rights violations.
It both reflects and reinforces
inequities between men and women
and compromises the health, dignity,
security and autonomy of its victims.
United Nations Population Fund (2005)
What is Violence Against Women?
Sexual Assault
• Any form of sexual contact without a
person’s consent, including the threat
of sexual contact without consent
• Can range from unwanted sexual
touching to forced sexual intercourse
What is Violence Against Women?
Sexual Assault
• Level 1: Sexual Assault [s.271]
• Level 2: Sexual Assault with a Weapon,
Threats to a Third Party, or Causing
Bodily Harm [s.272]
• Level 3: Aggravated Sexual Assault
[s.273]
What is Violence Against Women?
Sexual Assault
151
152
153
155
163.1
Sexual interference with a person
under age 14
Invitation to sexual touching with a
person under age 14
Sexual exploitation of a person aged 14
and under 18
Incest
Covers child pornography
What is Violence Against Women?
Sexual Assault
• Most of the women killed or seriously
injured in the context of sexual
violence in recent years have been
members of marginalized groups,
facing particular barriers that made it
harder for them to access critical
support systems.
What is Violence Against Women?
Sexual Assault
• The victims of William Pickton were sex
trade workers and drug users, many of whom
were Aboriginal women
• Most of the women who were murdered or
have gone missing on Highway 16 are
Aboriginal women
• The women and girls who were victimized by
Donald Bakker were Vancouver area sex
trade workers and under-age girls in
Cambodia
What is Violence Against Women?
Sexual Assault
• Sex offences are less likely than other violent
offences to result in charges against a suspect and
adults charged with sex offences are less likley than
other violent offenders to be found guilty
• Sex Trade workers are more at risk of violence and
homicide than the general population and their
cases are less likely to be solved.
Kong, Rebecca, Johnson, Holly, Beattie, Sara and Cardillo, Andrea. Sexual
Offences in Canada.
Juristat, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, 23:6. (2003).
What is the Impact?
Sexual Assault
• Psychological/emotional:
–Fear of physical injury, mutilation and/or
death
–Anger
–Humiliation
–Shame
–Guilt
–Shock
–Sleep disturbances
What is the Impact?
Sexual Assault
•
•
•
•
•
Serious physical injuries
Unwanted pregnancies & miscarriages
STDs including HIV/AIDS
Headaches & fatigue
Loss of appetite/nausea
What is the Impact?
Sexual Assault
•Self Blame
•Loss of hope
•Minimization/Denial
•Loss of a Sense of Esteem
•Loss of a Sense of Power
•Shattering of World View
•Loss of a Sense of Safety & Trust
What is the Impact?
Sexual Assault
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Addictions
Self-esteem
Self-injury
Suicidal ideation
Fears/anxiety
Physical symptoms
Dissociation
experiences
• Sexual difficulties
• Eating disorders
• Emotional
difficulties
• Sleep disturbances
• Relationship issues
• Parenting issues
What is the Impact?
Sexual Assault
• A partner may focus on the sexual nature of the
crime more than the violent or dangerous aspects
• Partner may experience feelings of jealousy as a
result of the attention and support the survivor
receives
• Partner may experience the following reactions
to the sexual assault:
• Disgust
• Mistrust
• Blame
• Disinterest
What is the Impact?
Sexual Assault
Family members may experience:
• Anger
• Helplessness
• Shock
• Disbelief
• Guilt
• Fear
These may be directed at the survivor
What is Violence Against Women?
Violence In Relationships
Violence in Relationships
• Physical assault: hitting, punching, choking,
slapping, pulling hair
• Sexual assault: any form of forced sexual
activity
• Threats and Intimidation
• Emotional abuse: insults, intimidation,
control, isolation, mind games, put downs
• Financial abuse: controlling, stealing and
withholding money
• Spiritual/cultural abuse: restricting spiritual
or cultural practices or beliefs
• Murder
Violence In Relationships –
The Law
• The Canadian Criminal Code has no specific
offence called “violence against women” or
“spousal assault”.
• Criminal Code provisions that most
commonly apply include the offences of
assault, sexual assault, criminal
harassment, threats of violence, forcible
confinement and homicide.
Violence In Relationships Policy
The Criminal Justice System
response in BC is guided by:
• The Attorney General
Violence Against Women In
Relationship (VAWIR) Policy
•The RCMP Violence In
Relationship (VIR) Policy
•The Crown Counsel Spouse
Assault Policy
Violence In Relationships
In recent years, there have been a number of
dramatic & tragic deaths of women and
children as a result of domestic violence:
Sherry Heron and Anna Adams in Mission
Lorraine Moon in Alert Bay
Denise Purdy in Nanaimo
In Quatsino, Sonya Handel’s six children were
killed by her estranged husband who was
troubled and abusive
Violence In Relationships
Barriers often make it difficult for women to
access critical support systems. This was the
case for all the women involved in the
recent domestic violence tragedies:
- Sherry Heron suffered from physical disabilities
related to injuries to her head and pelvis
- Lorraine Moon was an Aboriginal woman living on
reserve
- Denise Purdy was an immigrant woman of colour
- Sonya Handel and her children lived in a very isolated
rural setting
Violence In Relationships
 The experiences of Heron, Moon, Purdy and Handel
reflect the reality of many women in our culturally
and geographically diverse province & highlight the
need to provide pro-active outreach to assist women
with disabilities, Aboriginal, immigrant and rural
women
 Coroners’ inquests and/or local inquiries revealed
what were missing in all these cases:
a coordinated response system
a network that could identify and address risk and
provide specialized support in a coordinated and
productive way involving a variety of systems
 These BC findings echoes similar inquests outcomes in
Ontario
Violence In Relationships - Pregnancy
In Canada, 1 In Every 5 Women Assaulted
By A Partner Is Assaulted During Pregnancy
Statistics Canada, Family Violence in Canada, 1999
Canadian Women’s Foundation’s Violence Against Women Fact Sheet
Violence In Relationships - Separation
In Canada:
· 1,056 intimate partner
homicides in a ten year
period
• 846 women killed (80%)
• 210 men killed (20%)
• 70% of deaths had a history
of domestic violence as
noted by police*
•
Family Violence in Canada, A
Statistical Profile, 2004
Statistics Canada
Violence In Relationships - Children
• Death & Injury
In Quatsino, Jay Handel
killed his six children.
• Witnessing
Almost 40% of women
assaulted by spouses said
their children witnessed the
violence against them
(either directly or
indirectly) and in many
cases the violence was
severe. In half of the cases
of spousal violence against
women that were witnessed
by children, the woman
feared for her life.
What is the Impact?
Violence In Relationships
• Physical & Psychological
Effects
–Health problems
–Self-harming behaviours
–Long-lasting effects
–More likely to commit
suicide
• Decrease in income
• Injury/permanent
disability
• Death
What is the Impact?
Violence In Relationships
Children who are exposed to violence in the home
suffer from emotional trauma, have poor educational
outcomes, and are at increased risk of using violence
to solve problems.
Berman, H., J. Hardesty and J. Humphreys. 2004. Children of abused women.
In Humphreys, J. and J. Campbell (eds.) Family Violence and Nursing Practice. New
York: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
What is Violence Against Women?
Criminal Harassment
On August 1, 1993, the Criminal Code was
amended to create the new offence of criminal
harassment. It was introduced as a specific
response to violence against women,
particularly to domestic violence against
women. However, the offence is not restricted
to domestic violence and applies equally to all
victims of criminal harassment.
Criminal Harassment: A Handbook For Police And Crown Prosecutors.
Department of Justice Canada
What is Violence Against Women?
Criminal Harassment
Examples of Criminal Harassment:
•calling you over and over again, and perhaps hanging
up whenever you answer the phone
•contacting you on the Internet or through constant email messages
•following you, your family or friends
•leaving threatening voice messages
•sending you gifts you do not want
•watching you or tracking where you go
•threatening you, your children, family, pets or friends
Stalking is a Crime Called Criminal Harassment
Department of Justice Canada
What is Violence Against Women?
Criminal Harassment
While many crimes are defined by conduct that
results in a very clear outcome (for example,
murder), criminal harassment generally consists
of repeated conduct that is carried out over a
period of time and that causes victims to
reasonably fear for their safety but does not
necessarily result in physical injury.
Criminal Harassment: A Handbook For Police And Crown Prosecutors.
Department of Justice Canada
What is Violence Against Women?
Criminal Harassment
Before 1993, persons who engaged in stalking
conduct might have been charged with one or
more of the following offences: intimidation
(section 423 of the Criminal Code); uttering
threats (section 264.1); mischief (section 430);
indecent or harassing phone calls (section
372); trespassing at night (section 177); and
breach of recognizance (section 811).
Criminal Harassment: A Handbook For Police And Crown Prosecutors.
Department of Justice Canada
What is the Impact?
Criminal Harassment
Some common responses by victims to the trauma of
being stalked include the following:
•self-reproach;
•a tendency to downplay the impact of the stalking;
•interpretation of the stalking as a “private matter”;
•a sense of betrayal and stigma;
•anxiety and fear, due to the unpredictability of the stalker’s
conduct;
•feelings of being helpless and unable to control their lives;
•lack of confidence in police, resulting in a failure to report;
•inaction, due to a lack of awareness that the conduct is criminal;
and
•denial or embarrassment.
Criminal Harassment: A Handbook For Police And Crown Prosecutors.
Department of Justice Canada
Ending Violence Together
Support Services
 VictimLINK (1-800-563-0808)
 Over 400 service programs to assist in violence against
women and children including:
 Community-Based Victim Assistance Programs
 Stopping The Violence Counselling
 Outreach Programs
 Transition Houses
 Safe Homes
 Second Stage Housing
 Children Who Witness Violence
 Helpline for Children (310-1234)
Ending Violence Together
Support Services
Community Support Services Can Provide Practical
Assistance for Survivors:
• development and/or revision of safety plan
• assistance with getting copies of court orders
• explanation of procedures and accompaniment to
meetings with police, Crown, etc.
• assistance in completing forms
• liaison with systems
• court accompaniment, accompaniment to sentencing,
hearing, if requested
• assistance with transportation, if requested
• provision of, or assistance in securing, translation where
needed or available
Ending Violence Together
Safety Planning
• Support workers are trained to assist a
woman to develop a plan which addresses
her unique situation and risks
• A safety plan is important because it is
easier to plan ahead than to plan while
dealing with a crisis.
• Women are able to assess and adapt safety
tips from other women who have abusive
current and former partners.
Ending Violence Together
Safety Planning
• Will be different in every situation
• May change from day to day for a survivor
• Would take into account lifestyle, culture
and challenges
• A worker can assist with:
• Identifying potential risks
• Helping to identify possible strategies
• Helping to identify possible resources in the
community
• It is important to acknowledge that a
survivor is an expert on their own life.
Ending Violence Together
Coordination
“Sexual assault does not fall neatly into the
category of a health issue, counselling issue,
criminal justice issue or human rights issue – it is
all of these. Therefore, no one system alone can
provide an effective response to sexual assault.
A consultative, coordinated or collaborative
response from the health care, counselling and
criminal justice systems will have the best
chance of meeting the needs of a survivor of
sexual assault.”
Working Together to Respond to Sexual Assault
Linda Light, June, 2000
Ending Violence Together
Coordination
In rural areas, in particular, where a woman’s
access to services may be problematic, the
necessity for coordination, and developing and
maintaining cooperative relationships between
police and community agencies was identified as
a priority. (Edelson & Frank, 1991)
Coordinating Community Responses to Domestic Violence: Lessons from
Duluth and Beyond, Sage Publications, 1999
Ending Violence Together
Coordination
This belief in the need for a collaborated approach is
echoed by Aboriginal and Immigrant communities
It is not possible to effectively address violence against
women while working in isolation
Ending Violence Together requires us
to work collaboratively
Resources
• Please feel free to contact us for:
–
–
–
–
More information
Support
Volunteering your time
Making a donation to support our services
• Insert program/agency information
QUESTIONS
END VIOLENCE TOGETHER
FOR THE DIGNITY OF EVERY WOMAN
Funding for the production of this presentation was provided by
the BC Ministry of Community Services and created by the BC
Association of Specialized Victim Assistance and Counselling
Programs
Appendix
Child Sexual Abuse
Legally, “child” means anyone under 19
The Criminal Code of Canada includes the
following offenses related to child sexual abuse:
• Sec. 163 (163.1 – 163.1 (4.1): covers child
pornography
• Bill C-2 also contains numerous other sections
pertaining to child prostitution and pornography
Child Abuse
Refers to mistreatment, abuse, or
neglect that a child or youth
experiences while in the care of
someone they either trust or
depend on: parent, sibling, other
relative, caregiver or guardian
Child Abuse
Examples include:
– Physical abuse
– Sexual abuse & exploitation
– Neglect
– Emotional abuse
Child Sexual Abuse
Legally, “child” means anyone under 19
The Criminal Code of Canada includes the following offenses
related to child sexual abuse:
• Bill C-2 Sec. 163 (163.1 – 163.1 (4.1): covers child
pornography
• Bill C-2 also contains numerous other sections
pertaining to child prostitution and pornography
Duty to Report
Child, Family and Community Service Act:
– is BC’s child protection legislation
– Duty to report:
• where a person has reason to believe that a
child needs protection
• Section 14:
– anyone with a reason to believe that a child needs
protection must report the circumstances to a child
protection worker at the Ministry of Children and
Family Development (MCFD)
Duty to Report…
Sec. 13: (refer to the act for a comprehensive list)
•where the child has been, or is likely to be, sexually
abused or exploited by the child’s parent
•where the child has been, or is likely to be physically
harmed, sexually abused, or sexually exploited by
someone else and the child’s parent does not protect
the child
•where the child is emotionally harmed by the parent’s
conduct
For reporting purposes, in B.C. a child is anyone who is under 19 years
of age
•Sexual Assault: Victim Service Worker Handbook, Victim Services and Community programs Division, 2005