B.C. to see $3.1M from feds to support intimate partner violence victims

With the cost of living continuing to rise, advocates say more victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) are forced to represent themselves in court. That is why the federal government is investing $3.1 million dollars to support victims of IPV in British Columbia.

The money will go to Rise Women’s Legal Centre, an independent legal clinic based in Vancouver.

“Self-representation in family law is tremendously challenging and many people experiencing family violence remain in unsafe relationships because they do not have access to the legal supports, or they are forced to agree to unsafe parenting regimes because they cannot effectively represent themselves in court,” Kim Hawkins, the clinic’s executive director, said.

Hawkins says intimate partner violence disproportionately impacts members of Indigenous communities, members of marginalized genders, and other equity-seeking groups. She also notes that although IPV can happen to anyone, women represent the majority of victims.

She says with the federal funding, Rise will be able to provide much-needed support to victims and their families in the province.

“Legal services for clients experiencing intimate partner violence has grown rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the requests for help have never returned to pre-pandemic levels. Like so many other organizations working on the frontlines, Rise has tried to rise to the task and tried to find ways to meet that growing demand,” she said.

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The funding is set to be provided over five years through the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program and the Canadian Family Justice Fund.

“With this funding, we are also strengthening B.C.’s network of anti-violence workers support workers, family law advocates through ongoing collaboration and training, ongoing mentorship opportunities, and standardized training opportunities,” Hawkins added.

-With files from OMNI News