Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act
BWSS, alongside our colleagues across the anti-violence sector, has submitted a response to Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act, to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
The proposed legislation includes amendments to the Criminal Code, including the introduction of a coercive control offence, changes to criminal harassment laws, and broader efforts to address gender-based violence, including femicide.
You can learn more about the bill here
This legislation represents an important shift in public and legal recognition that violence in intimate relationships extends beyond physical and sexual assault. It reflects growing awareness that coercive control, ongoing domination, and escalating abuse are central to how violence operates.
Bill C-223, the Keeping Children Safe Act
Nationally, Bill C-223 is advancing conversations about how family courts respond to intimate partner violence, particularly in custody and parenting decisions. The bill seeks to strengthen recognition of coercive control and challenge assumptions that have historically minimized violence in family law proceedings.
BWSS’s analysis continues to shape these national conversations, including through our work on weaponized silence and coercive control in family court
Recent coverage has framed Bill C-223 as a response to “complex” family situations. From our perspective, the issue is not complexity, but the ongoing failure of legal systems to fully recognize and respond to intimate partner violence, sexualized violence, and gender-based violence. Stronger legal language alone does not change how risk is understood or how evidence is interpreted in practice.
This gap was highlighted in recent national coverage referencing BWSS analysis alongside anti-violence organizations across Canada
Crown Update – Court of Appeal
At the provincial level, the BC Prosecution Service recently updated its Victims of Crime (VIC 1) policy, including stronger expectations around communication with survivors, consultation on publication bans, and the use of testimonial supports.
You can read more here
These changes may improve survivors’ participation in the court process. However, Crown counsel still determines whether charges proceed, legal thresholds remain the same, and the system continues to rely heavily on incident-based evidence and police discretion. Survivors may have more involvement, but not necessarily more control over outcomes.
BC Court of Appeals BWSS Seeks to Intervene
This week BWSS is appearing before the BC Court of Appeal on an application to intervene in a case involving survivors pursuing civil claims following sexual violence. The Court is deciding whether organizations like BWSS can participate to advance survivor-centred perspectives that might otherwise be absent.
For many survivors, the criminal legal system does not result in charges or convictions, making civil claims one of the few remaining pathways to accountability. How courts approach these cases may determine whether that pathway remains accessible.
Alongside this work, BWSS continues to advance the Red Flag Law project, which focuses on strengthening survivor safety and early intervention mechanisms.
Across all these developments, a similar pattern is emerging: efforts are underway to better recognize survivors and coercive control under the law, while the systems that determine outcomes remain largely intact.
For decades, BWSS has worked at the intersection of frontline support, legal advocacy, public education, and systems change. From court interventions to national policy analysis, BWSS continues to shape conversations on coercive control, femicide prevention, and survivor-centred legal reform across Canada.
