31 Things British Columbia Can Do Right Now to End Violence Against Women
22. Get perpetrators of violence against women in front of the courts quickly
The evidence is clear that proceeding to trial quickly in cases involving violence against women improves defendant accountability and enhances the safety of women. In BC, it can take 9 months or more for an intimate partner assault to go to trial. During this time, the victim may live in fear and often face harassment and pressure by the accused to recant her statement, or not show up to court. In other cases, women have moved on with their lives and do not want to be called back to face their abuser so long after the event. Countries that have fast-track processes or dedicated domestic violence courts have seen considerable increases in women appearing for their court dates and accessing related support services. These countries have also seen an increase in men pleading guilty and fewer probation violations Domestic violence courts or fast-track processes for domestic violence cases must be implemented in BC.
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
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
15. Train and support specialized Crown Counsel for cases involving gender violence
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
21. Do not force abused women in to parenting programs or counseling
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