Family Violence Initiative

Lessons Learned from Projects Funded Through the Family Violence Initiative 1998/99 to 2002/03

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1. BACKGROUND

In 1988, the Department of Justice (DOJ) joined efforts with other federal government departments to establish the interdepartmental Family Violence Initiative (FVI), an ongoing federal initiative to reduce the occurrence of family violence in Canada. Over time, a wide range of policies, strategies and actions to respond to family violence has developed, involving a range of sectors and players. It is widely accepted across Canada that an effective response to family violence requires the ongoing commitment and collaboration of many players. Consequently, the Department of Justice Canada and its partners, including non-governmental organizations, provincial and territorial governments and the private sector, work together to ensure that the criminal justice system continues to respond more effectively in protecting victims and holding abusers accountable.

The Department of Justice Canada's FVI efforts are concentrated in four areas: policy, research, project funding, and public legal education and information (PLEI). DOJ FVI activities seek to contribute to the improved responsiveness of the criminal justice system.

FVI project funding is currently administered through the Department of Justice Canada's Justice Partnership and Innovation Fund (JPIF)[1]. This Fund is one tool that is used to support grants and contributions aimed at:

• increasing the capacity of departmental partners to develop innovative solutions to emerging justice related issues;
• developing a more informed and engaged public and legal community with regard to law and the legal system; and
• contributing to policy development in the department, as it serves a changing and diverse society.

With respect to FVI project funding, the purpose is to improve the responsiveness of the criminal justice system to family violence. Between 1998/99 and 2002/03, DOJ FVI resources were available for projects designed to increase the capacity of stakeholders and communities to respond to family violence issues, as well as for projects that would lead to a public and legal community that was better informed about and more responsive to family violence issues. In particular, funding was available for projects that would:

• assess the response of the criminal justice system and professionals to family violence;
• contribute to the development of new strategies, models, services and program delivery;
• support child victims/witnesses of family violence in the criminal justice process;
• develop resource tools for hard to reach communities; and
• support development of information and program services related to elder abuse.

JPIF FVI resources were also available to support the development of public legal education and information (PLEI) efforts related to family violence, with a specific focus on hard to reach communities. PLEI funding was available for projects to:

• revise, reprint and disseminate existing PLEI materials;
• assess PLEI activities in the area of family violence, update and translate family violence PLEI material into additional languages; and
• develop information materials for the Department of Justice Canada's family violence Web site http://canada.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/fv-vf/index.html

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