31 Things British Columbia Can Do Right Now to End Violence Against Women

21. Do not force abused women in to parenting programs or counseling

The only programs a woman needs as a result of having experienced violence are the ones she wants. Women leaving violent partners are frequently told that they should, or even must, attend parenting classes and counselling.  They hear this from transition house workers, public health nurses, social workers, and family court judges.  There is no research to suggest that forcing women to take classes or attend counseling stops an abuser from being abusive.  Women are not responsible for the abuse, and being a victim of abuse does not mean that she is lacking in parenting skills or will benefit from mandated counseling.  If she asks for  supports, they need to be available, but requiring women access services is punitive and only increases the stress in her life.

Women in British Columbia have waited too long already. That is why we are offering 31 things that BC’s new Provincial Office of Domestic Violence (PODV) can push for right now to increase safety for women and to bring us closer than we have ever been to ending violence against women once and for all. We are calling for 31 social, economic and legal changes, none of which are unachievable in this province. Some would require very little financial investment, and each of them will save resources in the long term given the high costs of violence against women.

For more information:

Jane Doe Advocates – 31 Things British Columbia can do Right Now to End Violence Against Women

Follow The Violence Against Women in Relationship Act – 2. Audit for compliance with BC’s Violence Against Women in Relationship policy

3. Address the immediate financial and housing needs of women fleeing violence

4. Enhance access to justice for women – invest in family, immigration and poverty law legal aid services

5. Make addressing women’s inequality a core learning objective for all BC students

6. Add sexual violence by police to the mandate  of the Independent Investigations Office

7. Address the feminization of poverty with a provincial anti-poverty plan

8. Push to add gender and sex to the hate crime provisions of Canada’sCriminal Code

9. Bring back regional coordination committees for women’s safety

10. Join the call for a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women

11. Do not let immigration status stand in the way of women’s safety

12. Value the expertise of women’s organizations by investing in their work

13. Make women’s safety the first priority in police response

14. Create binding guidelines on the use of psychological testing and labeling in child custody and child protection cases

15. Train and support specialized Crown Counsel for cases involving gender violence

16. Ensure women have access to interpretation in interaction with police, courts, social workers and other decision-makers

17. Increase access to gender appropriate drug treatment and harm reduction services

18. Monitor and evaluate the implementation and interpretation of BC’s new Family Law Act

19. Hold offenders accountable for impacts on children of violence against women

20. Take action on women-blaming and women-shaming in all its forms

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