Workshop Descriptions

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Friday, March 1, 2013

AM workshops | PM workshops

AM workshops | PM workshops

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Keynote

Looking back to see our way forward: Recognizing accomplishments and facing challenges in domestic violence prevention – Myrna Dawson

AM Workshops

Violence in South Asian Families – Doris Rajan, Meccana Ali, RSW, MSW, Poonam Jit
The Social Services Network (SSN) is at the forefront in Canada in addressing the issue of violence in South Asian families through a number of regional, provincial and national capacity building initiatives and partnerships. The aim of SSN's work is to bring together the diverse South Asian communities with all the key sectors involved in violence prevention and response, to develop practical direct service, family and community wide solutions.

This informational and interactive workshop will provide; information on the nature of domestic violence in South Asian cultures; an overview of South Asian families in terms of, intergenerational conflict, power dynamics, the role of culture and religion, etc.; and information on the barriers to disclosure and seeking help and offer tips on promising practices.

You will also receive more information on three SSN projects; The annual Impact of Family Violence Conference: A South Asian Perspective - May 1 and 2 in Mississauga, Ontario; Building a Safe Community for South Asian Girls and Young Women; and a pan-Canadian project on Elder Abuse in South Asian communities.

Doris Rajanis the director of community development projects at Social Services Network. She has a worked in the areas of disability, anti-poverty,anti-violence, immigrant/refugee, First Nations and womens rights. Doris has written many evidence-based, community-designed, training resources. She isan educator having taught at a post-secondary institutions and a professional actress/filmmaker. Currently Doris is working on the establishment of IRIS the Institute for Research & Development on Inclusion and Society.

Meccana Ali, RSW, MSW, is a Youth Co-ordinator at Social Services Network, and the board chair of Muslim Big Brothers and Sisters. She has worked in the youth and social services sector for over 10 years. She is an avid advocate for youth empowerment and violence against women.

Poonam Jit is a Youth Co-ordinator at Social Services Network. She monitors regional youth programs while ensuring Social Services Network maintains its competitive edge. She also prepares educational, outreach and promotional materials, and facilitates youth workshops. In addition, she works with fragile seniors providing them social networking for a healthier living.

1.1

Increasing collaboration with women: Survivor Voices Inclusion Project – Susan Young,  Nisha Bansal, Dawn DeSouza,  Sue J., and Eva Kratochvil

Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses (OAITH), a provincial coalition of women’s shelters and second stage housing for abused women and their children, developed the Survivor Voices Inclusion Project with funding from Status of Women Canada (2011). SVIP has travelled to over 15 communities across Ontario, including the far north. The project team, consisting of a survivor liaison and project coordinator, engages survivors, along with staff and Board members, to come together to explore survivor inclusion, what the barriers are and how to creatively work together to find solutions. 
From this provincial connection, eleven survivors have formed the OAITH Survivors’ Advisory Committee.  OSAC is developing a Photo Voices project, based on feminist participatory action research principles, for survivors to submit photographs symbolizing their experiences (www.oaith.ca)

The project team, including three survivors, will present a brief overview of the project, grounded in feminist and critical theory, along with key findings.  Survivors’ share their conviction that they have significant knowledge to provide direction to policy and services to benefit women and children following them. Key finding show survivors want: to be involved in education of teachers, youth, police and other community organizations; to mentor other survivors coming through the system; barriers addressed; to become advocates for social change.

Susan Young, OAITH’s Director, has worked in the field of violence against women for over 25 years. Her research project on survivors’ transformative process to social activism received an award for contribution to women in Canada and has been presented at national conferences.

Nisha Bansal, co-chair of OAITH’s Survivors’ Advisory Committee, was held captive and isolated from the outside world by her abusive ex-partner. She identifies as Kushi, and completed her Masters in Economics.  Her goal is to help others.

Dawn DeSouza, SVIP’s Project Coordinator, has worked on numerous projects, both in Canada and internationally. Dawn’s work has spanned diverse issues facing women including HIV/AIDS, poverty and violence against women. Dawn’s background includes social work, journalism and international development.

Sue J., a survivor of domestic violence, participated in OAITH’s 2008 Survivor Voices Project. She has established a survivor’s group in her area and is passionate about engaging survivors in leadership.

Eva Kratochvil, co-chair of OAITH’s Survivors’ Advisory Committee, identifies as a survivor of abuse. She is deeply committed to engaging survivors in strategic direction of services. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and works in shelters for abused women. 

1.2

Distinguishing Among Types of Intimate Partner Violence: Implications for Policy and Practice – Michael Johnson, Ph.D.

Dr. Johnson will first briefly review the research that demonstrates that there are three major types of intimate partner violence: intimate terrorism, violent resistance, and situational couple violence. (For a more extensive presentation of that research, attend his keynote presentation in the afternoon.) He will then discuss policies and practices that take these distinctions into account, present research on the effectiveness of those policies, and engage workshop participants in discussions of implications for their own work settings.

Michael P. Johnson (Ph.D., University of Michigan) is Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Women’s Studies, and African and African American Studies at Penn State, where he taught sociology and women’s studies for over thirty years and was designated an Alumni Teaching Fellow, Penn State’s highest teaching award. He is an internationally recognized expert on domestic violence, invited to speak at conferences and universities throughout the United States and around the world. His current research focuses on the implications of differentiating among types of violence in intimate relationships, and he consults regularly with community organizations and government agencies regarding domestic violence policy. He is widely published in scholarly journals, and his work on domestic violence is summarized in A Typology of Intimate Partner Violence: Intimate Terrorism, Violent Resistance, and Situational Couple Violence (Northeastern University Press, 2008). Recent papers are available at his web site at www.personal.psu.edu/mpj.

1.3

Creating Safety for Children: "Islands of Safety" Program – Cathy Richardson

“Islands of Safety” is an orchestrated response to Metis and First Nations families where child protection is at issue due to paternal violence. The model integrates systemic family therapy, response-based practice, feminist-informed analysis, critical discourse analysis and Indigenous cosmology.  In Islands of Safety, planning and assessment is based on the already existing competencies of family members as evident in their responses and resistance to the violence and negative social responses that often ensue when violence is disclosed.  Islands of Safety is based on fifteen years of practice and consultation with Indigenous families and was developed and independently evaluated through a grant form the Law Foundation of B.C.  Cathy will present the core practice components of the Islands of Safety model with a focus on the use of response-based and solution-focused questions.  Cathy will also discuss the connection between colonialism and conventional child protection practice in cases of intimate partner violence. 

Dr. Catherine Richardson is a family therapist specializing in practice and research involving recovery from violence.  She is currently involved in advancing response-based practice and does violence prevention work in a number of settings - with Indigenous communities, with women who have been assaulted, and in child protection settings.  She is a co-founder of the Centre for Response-Based Practice and an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Victoria. Dr. Richardson is interested in the intersections of social justice, resistance knowledges, culture and spirituality.  She is currently involved in a number of research projects, several with her colleague Dr. Allan Wade. She has presented her work at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and has been published in scholarly journals. She lives in Cowichan Bay with her three children. 

1.4

Facilitating Change in Family Violence Through a Collaborative Model – Joanne Ginter, MA

Collaborative Therapy is a special kind of conversation that elicits client strengths, competencies and solutions. The therapist is seen as a facilitator in creating a conversational and interactional climate for change and results. Clients are seen as the experts in their own experience, lives, goals, responses. For addressing the critical variables often identified with Family Violence, both therapists and clients historically have interpreted the events from a subjective frame that fits the story constructed of our lives. Many of these narratives have been negatively constrained and problem saturated leading to further negative sponsorship.
This workshop outlines the essential techniques for facilitating therapeutic conversations where the process is the solution. This includes the use of reframing and the way language can be used to develop client change for families affected by violence. These approaches have been shown to be particularly useful for those working in child protection agencies and with mandated clients. In these conversations the clients are encouraged to generate solutions from a wider more positive world view. As this change is client driven, it has a better chance of working as the clients not therapists are responsible for the change.

Joanne Ginter, MA (Registered Psychologist, Alberta) has over 30 years experience working directly with individuals, families and communities in both schools and mental health agencies. This has included the participation in research studies, program development and the direct therapy and supervision in Family Violence area.  Joanne has facilitated and supervised therapy groups for abusive men and women as well as battered women and sexual abuse survivors. Joanne has also been responsible for the development and facilitation of children’s mental health and school programs addressing the issues that prevail from living with family violence and the perpetuation of violence by children. Along with her direct therapeutic work, Joanne has attended numerous workshops in the area of Family Violence and has attended training in the current intervention strategies. Throughout her professional career Joanne has passed her knowledge on either through supervisory roles or through the development and presentation of workshops on current therapeutic practices. This workshop was developed in consultation with a colleague following several years of front line work and the development of workshops to train child protection workers in collaborative therapy approaches.

1.5

Trance-forming Abuse and Aggression: Exploring How Clinical Hypnosis Can Facilitate Compassionate Interventions that Invite Change– Dr. Harry Stefanakis

Compassionate approaches provide an appropriate framework for which to hold offenders accountable for their behaviours while inviting them into the change process (cf. Stefanakis, 2008). This workshop will demonstrate how the language and processes of clinical hypnosis can facilitate compassionate interventions that create therapeutic engagement, maintain accountability and empower clients to work towards change and responsibility.

Dr. Harry Stefanakis, registered psychologist, has 20 years experience working with victims and offenders in the field of family violence and has advocated for larger social and policy changes through his work with the Ending Relationship Abuse Society of BC and the BC Community Coordination for Women’s Safety Committee. Dr. Stefanakis was a consultant to the Ministry of the Attorney General in their Family Violence core programs initiative and a visiting expert for the United Nations: Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders. He currently runs a clinical and consulting practice in Vancouver, B.C.

1.6

Genetic Vulnerability or Genetic Responsiveness? Implications for Social Responses to Violence – Brenda Adams, M.D., RCC

Recent research has drawn connections between the genetic makeup of individuals exposed to violence and the severity of their subsequent distress or aggression. In fact, some researchers suggest vulnerability or resilience to adversity is dependent on genotype. This view encourages blaming and pathologizing of those who show distress or aggression. However a growing body of research suggests certain genetic variations actually contribute to greater responsiveness to both adversity and supportive social responses. Thus, those most likely to suffer or become aggressive following exposure to adversity may also be most likely to benefit from supportive social responses. Beyond genetics, the field of epigenetics is revealing dynamic responsiveness to environment at the level of gene expression. These findings have profound implications for guiding social responses to violence, yet little information has reached front-line workers. In this presentation, Brenda highlights recent research in the fields of genetics and epigenetics and proposes implications for effective therapy and other social responses to those who have experienced or perpetrated violence.

Brenda Adams M.D., RCC is a Principal Faculty member with the City University of Seattle Master of Counselling program on Vancouver Island. She also works as a counsellor in private practice and with H’ulh-etun Health Society. She has extensive experience working with First Nations communities on Haida Gwaii (formerly The Queen Charlotte Islands) and on Vancouver Island. Her special interests include counselling people who have experienced or perpetrated violence and people experiencing grief. Drawing on the response-based approach developed by Dr. Allan Wade and colleagues, Brenda developed a response-based approach to grief counselling, with special applications to counselling people after the death of a family member who abused them. She also combines her unique background in medicine and counselling to examine implications of leading edge genetic and epigenetic research for counselling and other social responses to violence. She has presented locally, provincially, and nationally. 

1.7

Failure to Protect: Issues for Racial and Ethnic Families – Sarah Maiter

The overrepresentation of racialized and ethnic minority families in child protection systems is well documented in Canada.  This workshop examines issues for minority racial and ethnic families involved with the child protection system, and specifically, the impacts of failure to protect policies and practices. The concept of failure to protect most often arises in situations of intimate partner violence or sexual abuse of a child, and the vast majority of these incidents involve male perpetrators. Emerging research on child protection interventions generally -- and in situations of intimate partner violence specifically -- for racialized families suggests that there are unique contextual considerations for these families that must be understood and efforts made to reduce their harmful impact. For example, racialized families are disadvantaged by biased reporting by professionals of suspected child maltreatment; unequal treatment in terms of access to services; and bias in assessments of maltreatment. For immigrant women, fear of jeopardized immigration status; harsher treatment of offenders; and judgments about their culture and community arise. In this workshop, I argue that cultural competency approaches may increase rather than reduce negative consequences. Instead, I propose practice approaches that most effectively account for the situations of racial and ethnic minority families and which interventions are most likely to be perceived as not only helpful but respectful.

Sarah Maiter, MSW, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at York University's Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. She brings more than 20 years of practice experience in child welfare and children's mental health services to her teaching and research that explores services from a critical race framework for ethnically and racially diverse individuals, families and groups. Sarah has conducted research with families who have been involved with the child welfare system; racialized youth about their experiences of racism, violence and healing; and mental health services for diverse ethno-racial families. In her current Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funded project, Sarah is exploring services to families in the child welfare system when interpreter services are needed or when language barriers exist. 

1.8

Safe and Sustainable Housing for Women and Children Leaving Domestic Violence Using a “Housing First” Model (Part A) – Leslie Hill

Unique in Canada the “housing first” model was successfully adapted in Calgary, Alberta in 2009 by a collaborative of women’s shelters in partnership with a homeless serving agency in order to provide permanent housing and intensive case management support to women with multiple barriers and their children who are fleeing domestic violence. Now into its fourth year of operations, Discovery House’s Community Housing Program has provided housing and support to over 200 women and their children and maintained an 85% housing retention rate for participants. Yet more importantly, all those women and children now have a place of their choosing to call home and access to a strong network of support as they move forward to a life free from violence.

As service providers we are witness to the complex interplay of issues surrounding domestic violence, poverty and homelessness and are increasingly challenged to develop programming that responds to different women’s experiences and realities.  In our presentation we will share our experience developing, implementing and sustaining a new and innovative program.  We will speak to the program design and share evaluation results which will detail outcomes, and our many challenges and successes.

Leslie Hill is the current Program Manager with the Community Housing Program at Discovery House. She has been working with vulnerable populations for 9 years, in both frontline and leadership roles. Her prior roles have offered a wealth of experience in domestic violence, mental health, addictions, crisis intervention, and in supporting people to maintain their housing. Leslie has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Calgary.

Heather Morley is the Director of Programs at Discovery House Family Violence Prevention Society in Calgary and has over twenty-three years of progressive experience in the human services field.  Prior to joining Discovery House five years ago, Heather worked for several community-based and government organizations across Canada and the United States, and her range of experience has included case management, clinical practice and program development work in both front line and management capacities. The focus of her work has always been women and children in crisis. Heather holds a M.A. in Counseling with a specialization in marriage and family therapy from the University of San Francisco. 

Heather has presented on this topic at several conferences including most recently at the 2nd World Conference of Women’s Shelter’s  (Washington DC, February 2012), All Our Sisters (London ON, May 2011), Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters Outcomes Conference (Edmonton, March 2011)and the National Alliance to End Homelessness  (Washington DC, July 2010).

Women’s Empowerment in a Rural Community: The Survivor to Thriver Model (Part B ) – Lauren Power

High demand with fewer resources led the sexual assault therapy program in Muskoka to find alternate solutions to the individual therapy model for working with women.  The  clients have an extensive trauma history of child/adult sexual abuse and as survivors of intimate partner violence and abuse, with a wide spectrum of impacts including addictions issues, complex PTSD and poverty.  We now offer a four workshop package for new referrals, which provides women with a psycho-educational experience with other women survivors of abuse, in a safe setting in which they are not asked to share any personal information.  Many women are making use of this series without further therapy, but it also prepares them for our group therapy model, which enables a further two years of therapy if needed.  We have supplemented our new program with a conference series, which enables us to offer a further educational/self-care/networking experience for women survivors through twice yearly conferences at a local resort, with 50 women at each conference. This workshop will provide an outline on how to deliver this model of service, an overview of our experiences and women’s feedback to us.

Lauren Power is a social work practitioner and a social welfare educator at Nipissing University. She has worked as a sexual assault therapist for the past 10 years, and has a private practice in which she works with men who have experienced sexual assault trauma. She is also on the clinical panel of the Ontario Office of the Children’s Lawyer.  Lauren has had a long career including background as a family therapist, and as an abuse specialist within child welfare

1.9

“It Freaks Me Out a Lot Being Called High Risk”: An Exploration of the High Risk Case Coordination Program (Part A) – Verona Singer

The pro-charge, pro-arrest and pro-prosecution approach was intended to hold abusers accountable for their criminal behavior and keep women from being threatened by their partners to oppose arrest or prosecution.  In 2003, the province of Nova Scotia developed the high risk case coordination protocol to address these issues. Cases of woman abuse were designated as high risk by professionals using a risk of lethality assessement, not on whether the woman asked to participate in the protocol.  Research has documented the unintended results of various mandatory state interventions in woman abuse.  My research investigated whether the same concerns arise with the high risk case coordination protocol.

In 2007 I started a PhD program and chose to examine the high risk case coordination protocol as my research topic.  I will discuss what is working well, some of the dilemmas and challenges with the high risk case coordination program, and how service providers can respond to those challenges.

Verona Singer has a Masters in Criminology from the University of Ottawa and is a PhD Candidate in the Interdisciplinary Program at Dalhousie University with a research focus on high risk case coordination and woman abuse. Her current position is the Coordinator of Victim Services with the Halifax Regional Police and she has previously worked in battered women’s shelters and sexual assault centres. Verona’s committee work includes being co-chair of the Metro Interagency Committee on Family Violence, incoming president of the Canadian Criminal Justice Association, and chair of the Non Union Management Employees Association for the Halifax Regional Municipality. She also teaches a victims and criminal justice course at Saint Mary’s University in the Criminology Department, In my role as the coordinator of Victim Services with the Halifax Regional Police for the past 16 years, I have spoken to hundreds of women, and heard many different reactions to the criminal justice system’s intervention in their lives.

Victimized and Criminalized: Racialized Women’s Experience of Intimate Partner Abuse (Part B) – Patrina Duhaney

This presentation is concerned with better understanding the context within which racialized women are charged with assault in situations of intimate partner abuse (IPA). Drawing on a review of empirical scholarship, coupled with my past research observations of black women who were charged with IPA in the Toronto region, in this presentation I will suggest that research on racialized women's use of violence rarely takes into account their unique experiences of IPA. Rather, IPA committed by racialized women has been presented in the scholarship in ways that are stereotypical (ie. more likely to retaliate against their partners), contradictory (ie. aggressive and passive) and erroneous (ie. more prone to crime). Having their victimization ignored or devalued while over criminalizing their use of violence in their relationships prevent racialized women from getting the support they need. The historical and contemporary contexts of their violence in their intimate relationships are seldom taken into consideration once they come into contact with the criminal justice system. Through the use of literature review and report from my previous qualitative data, this presentation aims to increase awareness about violence experienced by racialized women by discussing racialized women's motives and the challenges they encounter once engaged in IPA.

Patrina Duhaney is currently pursuing her PhD in the School of Social Work at McGill University. Building on her MSW research undertaken at Ryerson University that explored the experiences of Black women charged with a domestic violence related offence; Patrina is keenly interested in the experiences of racialized women in situations of intimate partner abuse (IPA). Prior to commencing her doctoral studies, Patrina practiced social work at Kinark Child and Family Services in Toronto, specializing in parents with children diagnosed with autism. She has also worked in various social service sectors counseling marginalized and at risk populations such as women and children exposed to domestic violence, youth in conflict with the law, children with multiple disabilities, and young parents.

1.10

The Influence of Trauma, Shame and Language Processing on Men in IPV Groups (Part A) – David Delay

This workshop features the presentation of a conceptual model for understanding how triggered trauma symptomatology may manifest in group practices with men who have used intimate partner violence (IPV) in their relationships with women.  Incorporating theories of emotion regulation, shame, and language processing, the model is grounded in research from the fields of developmental and cognitive neuroscience, neurolinguistics, intimate partner violence, and social group work.  The workshop includes the introduction of some upcoming research that will test elements of the model using a survival analysis to identify significant predictors of attrition and disengagement risk points for counselling participants.  The presentation concludes with a discussion of potential practice and policy implications. This presentation may hold special interest for clinicians, program managers, and policy developers.

David Delay is a social worker by profession and is currently a doctoral candidate at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto where he also teaches Group Work Practice in the Master of Social Work program.  His doctoral research examines predictors of attrition in court mandated group intervention services for men who have used intimate partner violence in their relationships with women.  He is a co-investigator with the Canadian Traumatic Brain Injury and Violence Research Team on a CIHR-funded study examining the connections between traumatic brain injury and violence.  His research is hosted by Catholic Family Services Peel-Dufferin and Family Services of Toronto.  David’s clinical practice has included frontline and supervisory work in child protection, children’s mental health and adult counselling services; he has managed a Partner Assault Response (PAR) program and continues to occasionally serve as a guest co-facilitator of PAR groups.  David is a member of the Association for the Advancement of Social Work with Groups (AASWG) and the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS); he also maintains a private practice specializing in working with male survivors.

The 4 R’s of Domestic Violence and Disability (Part B) – Susan Wheeler, BSW, NGH

Risk -What specific factors elevate the risk of domestic violence for people with physical disabilities?
Response - What specific challenges do service providers and shelters face in relation to delivering services for clients with physical disabilities?
Reduction - What specific programs improve domestic violence services and supports for people with physical disabilities?
Recovery - What specific initiatives aid in the recovery of people with disabilities who have experienced domestic violence?
Disability, similar to abuse, does not discriminate; it crosses all ethnicities, age and socioeconomic groups. However, due to heightened vulnerability, people with disabilities, women and children in particular are seven times more likely to experience abusive and traumatizing encounters. High risk factors associated with personal safety are a reality of life with disability. How do people with disabilities assimilate this reality into their life experience and what role does it play in relation to domestic violence?
This part-discussion part-workshop presentation is a collaborative process meant to unfold the challenges and realities of disability and domestic violence. Participants will be introduced to practical tools and techniques that will enable them to more effectively work with clients who have physical disabilities.

Susan Wheeler, BSW, NGH
Since 1987 Susan has been writing and publishing resources on disability issues, health care, psychology, education and travel. In recognition of her work she is the recipient of several awards. Including a Women of Distinction Award in 2001, and Toronto’s  Women-on-the-Move Award, in 1995

Experiencing her life with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) a progressive neuromuscular disease has not deterred Susan from seizing life’s opportunities in order to realize her ambitions and dreams.

With an honours degree in social work (BSW) and certification in hypnosis and sex therapy, Susan initially worked within community agencies and later branched out to work independently as a therapist/consultant, specializing in disability adjustment and accommodation practices. Susan is an International speaker and has presented numerous talks and workshops on topics related to better understanding and serving those with various disabilities.

Susan has authored several resources to aid educators and other service providers in a variety of venues, however her last two publications are specific to the experience of abuse and disability. One is a children’s chapter book that deals with bullying and the second, a personal memoir of disability and abuse.

1.11

Requisites for a Non-Violent Society – Diane Delaney

Violence is a global problem which we encounter at the interpersonal level, in group dynamics, and between communities and nations.  Wherever it is situated it can cause physical harm and profound emotional damage.  An ideal world is one in which there is no violence.  Arendt says, “The practice of violence, like all action, changes the world, but the most probable change is to a more violent world.”  If we are to create peaceful communities we must address the issue from a multi-disciplinary perspective that explores psychological, philosophical, and cultural components in addition to the sociological and feminist understandings of what causes violence.  This presentation will showcase a model developed by PATHS entitled Requisites for a Non-violent Society.  The framework results from a  summary of the research on violence in general and illustrates the interconnectedness of the physical, cultural, economic and social causes of violence.  This enhanced understanding of the causes of violence allows us to be able to name and define the underlying characteristics of a non-violent society.  From this vantage point we can then develop new and enhanced strategies for change which will move us toward creating peaceful communities. 

Diane Delaney has worked in the shelter movement for over 20 years in Ontario and Saskatchewan.  She has had a variety of roles including front line work, legal advocacy, and management of emergency and second stage shelters.   She has also been a volunteer with the Canadian Mental Health Association and has worked in the field of international cooperation.  Since 2005, she has been coordinator of PATHS, the Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan.  In this capacity she has worked to support member agencies across the province as well as contributing to the inauguration of a national network of women’s shelters and making contributions to the international sheltering movement as well.  PATHS research includes studying the impact of the housing crisis in Saskatchewan on women who have experienced violence and exploring models of sheltering that reflect new understandings of gender identity.  Diane holds an MA in Social Welfare Policy from McMaster University.

PM Workshops

1.12

Breaking the Silence Around Violence in African Nova Scotian Communities – Wanda Bernard and Rajean Boudreau

Within the African Nova Scotian communities, the topic of violence is silenced.  There are a number of reasons for this, however  we believe that an  underlying problem is the fear that keeps people silent. The Association of Black Social workers has done much work over the past five years that focuses on breaking the silence of violence in African Nova Scotian communities. Turning the research findings of the Racism, Violence and Health Project to actions, the Association of Black Social Workers have held four Community Forums, in addition to Focus groups in local communities, to help break the silence around violence. This presentation will highlight the research findings, the follow up actions, and the impact on African Nova Scotian communities.

Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard has a BA, MSW and PhD. Her research interests include issues of violence and racism. Her social work practice includes work with both victims of violence and with those who use violence as a form of power and control . Most recently she has worked with communities to address issues of violence

Rajean Boudreau has a BSW. She is currently the Outreach Social Worker for the Akoma Family Centre in partnership with the Association of Black Social Workers. Her research interests include issues around violence, racism and health. Her social work practice includes work with victims of violence. Most recently she has worked with communities to address issues of violence.

1.13

Gender Violence, Substance Use and Mental Health: Identifying Risks and Resources – Angela MacDougall

For many women experiencing violence, patterns of substance use are closely linked to violence and abuse that they are experiencing. This link should not be understand as a casual relationship, but as one where the practice issues of safety planning, and identifying the strategies of power and control need to be addressed in the context of and the intersection with substance use. Research has shown that as many as 2/3 of women with substance use problems may have concurrent mental health problems such as depression, post-traumatic stress reactions, panic or eating disorders. This means than many of the women we work with will be trying to cope and manage all three problems:  gender violence, mental health and substance use. This workshop will actively engage participants in applying an anti-oppression feminist analysis to women’s experiences of mental health, substance use and past and current experiences of violence to undertake effective safety planning.

Angela Marie MacDougall has been working to end violence against girls and women for the past 23 years as an advocate, front-line worker, activist, trainer and administrator. Angela’s impact includes curricula development and facilitation of core training programs covering direct service responses to women survivors for professional front-line workers. While in collaboration, she developed empowerment and advocacy-based service delivery models grounded in strong theoretical frameworks, decolonizing, intersectional practices that connect feminism, substance use, mental health, violence and women’s leadership.

Angela established alliances that move change forward including:

• Women’s Leadership and Training Initiative in western Canada,
• Urban Women’s Anti-Violence Strategy an alliance of women’s organizations in Metro Vancouver, Canada,
• Alliance of February 14th Women’s Memorial Marches, a grass roots efforts raising awareness and seeking justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada,
• The Violence Stops Here – a campaign urging men to own their role in ending violence against girls and women,
• Engaging Non-Status, Refugee and Immigrant Women in the Legal System and
• SisterWatch, a collaboration between community and the Vancouver Police Department to end violence against women in downtown eastside Vancouver. 

Angela has a particular expertise supervising multi-racial, multi ethnic environments within high crisis/trauma work settings. Angela blogs at Ending Violence www.bwss.org/endingviolence and is currently, Executive Director of Battered Women’s Support Services. Angela lives in Vancouver, Canada.

1.14

Couples in Groups: Ending IPV – Cindy King and Dan Beckett

Many women and men in abusive relationships do not want their relationship to end. Many women remain with or return to abusive partners.  Early intervention is essential to reduce the impact on children and is beneficial to women and men who often experience an escalation of violence without adequate support (Virginia Tech, Research Division Magazine, 2004).  Although controversial in the field of violence against women, research and evidence supports that a multi-couple treatment format can be successful in helping couples to successfully reconcile. 

The Partner’s for Healthy Relationships program is 12 weeks long and is offered three (3) times throughout the calendar year. The program began in 2006, and we are currently delivering our 10th group.

This presentation will review: the literature which supports a multi-couple treatment format for couples who have experienced domestic abuse or violence; the program description including eligibility criteria, exclusionary criteria, program objectives and a session by session outline; observations and experience of co-facilitators feedback from group participants; and outcome data addressing systemic targets as well as individual and family outcome.

A Question/Discussion period will follow.

Cindy King has been a clinician on the Family Violence Team at Family & Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region since 2005 and worked in Child Welfare since 2001. Although previously an advocate and worker in the Violence Against Women sector this clinical role with Family & Children’s Services focuses primarily on collaborating with community partners in servicing fathers and or couples who are struggling to heal and make the necessary changes toward building safe and nurturing families. This position also includes training, program development including Partners for Healthy Relationships and consultation with staff to offer families a positive and effective service.

Dan Beckett has been employed for the John Howard Society Waterloo Wellington for 30 years in many capacities, specifically with clients in trouble with the law. In the last 22 years Dan performed his duties as the Coordinator for the Domestic Violence prevention program. This position managed contract staff, fostered and maintained connections with community partners in the field of domestic violence education and prevention and formed a positive working relationship with local police and the Provincial court system regarding mutual clients.

1.15

Conversation about Women's Abuse with Men Who Abused – Tod Augusta-Scott

Tod Augusta-Scott will illustrate how conversations about a female partner's abuse can lead a man to take greater responsilility for his own perpetration of abuse. Previously Tod believed that talking about women's behavior could only lead to justifying and excusing the men's choices to abuse.  Further, Tod thought that such conversations would diminish the significance of locating the violence within a social-policitical context.  Tod will illustrate how moving away from dichotomous thinking and engaging the multiple stories of men's violence has led men to both take greater responsiblity and to challenge patriarchal ideas.

Tod Augusta-Scott, MSW is known internationally for his work with domestic violence and narrative therapy.  He has spent the last eighteen years as the coordinator of Bridges – a domestic violence counselling, research and training institute in Nova Scotia, Canada.  He has taught in the Social Work Department, Dalhousie University and continues to be a guest speaker in the Department on a regular basis.  Tod has presented his work in every province in Canada. He has also developed a group manual, which is the official manual for the two provinces and one territory in the country.  He also works nationally as a consultant to the Canadian Forces. Tod has presented his work internationally in China, USA, Europe and the British Isles. He is the co-editor and contributor to the critically acclaimed book Narrative Therapy: Making Meaning, Making Lives (Sage Publications, 2007).

1.16

Developing Provincial Standards: Alberta’s Provincial Family Violence Treatment Program – Aggy King-Smith, Deanna Frey, Sheila Mellon, and Jay Buhler

Led by Alberta Health Services, the Provincial Family Violence Treatment Program (PFVTP) provides assessment and treatment for individuals who have committed a domestic violence offence and are mandated to seek treatment.  Inherent in this Provincial Program’s philosophy is a coordinated community response and partnership with Alberta Justice and Solicitor General and Alberta Human Services.
Currently, 15 Alberta communities—comprised of large and smaller urban centres, rural communities, and 4 First Nations—are included under the PFVTP umbrella. Integral to the program are the Provincial Family Violence Treatment Standards (2009; revisions 2012) that evolved from recommendations from a Domestic Violence Treatment Effectiveness Study (2004) conducted with Calgary-based family violence treatment services.  

The presentation discusses key elements within the Provincial Family Violence Treatment Program Standards: 1. Provincial team role, overview of standards, and approach to their development; 2. Probation’s risk reduction model of offender supervision and motivational interviewing as they relate to DV cases; 3. Eight core concepts mandatory in all family violence treatment services (group and individual counselling), and the evolution of DV treatment models; 4. highlights of Edmonton’s Safe & Sober program focusing on integration of substance abuse counselling within family violence treatment.  Programming and case examples will be provided.

Aggy King-Smith is a Manager in the Mental Health and Justice, Provincial Addiction and Mental Health portfolio of Alberta Health Services. Part of the provincial team, she has a leadership role in the development, coordination, provincial standards development, and accountability of the Provincial Family Violence Treatment Program (PFVTP) for mandated offenders. She has been actively involved in the development of the Provincial Program for eight years including working with researchers in incorporating recommendations from a Domestic Violence Treatment Effectiveness Study (2004) into provincial standards, supporting implementation of DV treatment services in communities (starting in 2005), and coordination with government ministries involved in policy development related to Alberta’s response to family violence.  She has a Masters in Communication Studies, focusing on organizational and group communications, and undergraduate studies in Criminology, Psychology and English. She has supported the development of the PFVTP standards through a consultative approach, encouraging involvement of the 15 communities (24 funded agencies) under the Program umbrella to provide their collective expertise to strengthen the core provincial treatment standards. Inherent in the Provincial PFVTP team’s role is the provision of education and training for family violence treatment providers, including sponsorship of the annual PFVTP Knowledge Sharing Forum.

Deanna Frey is a Project Manager with Community Corrections & Release Programs Branch, Alberta Justice and Solicitor General.  She completed her Bachelor’s degree majoring in Psychology at the University of Alberta and a Master’s degree majoring in Forensic Sexology at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia.  Deanna feels fortunate to have spent the past 11 years working within the Corrections field; one year was spent with the Western Australia Department of Corrective Services but the majority of this time has been with the Government of Alberta’s Department of Solicitor General.  Her experience has involved working with adult offenders (including domestic violence cases) in community supervision, assessment and treatment.  Since 2009 Alberta Correctional Services has moved toward a risk reduction model of offender supervision, which has included the implementation of evidence based practices such as actuarial risk assessment tools and motivational interviewing.  Deanna has played an active role in this transition as she provides training to Probation Officers in risk assessment & case planning, and has been involved in the development and implementation of a sustainability strategy for motivational interviewing.  In 2010 Deanna was privileged to become a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). 

Sheila Mellon has been a provisional and then registered psychologist since 1993.  In the last 13 years she has worked as part of a team delivering a Family Violence Treatment Services in a Northern Alberta community. In March 2009, Sheila became a Director of Treatment Services and Clinical Therapist on the agency team funded under the Provincial Family Violence Treatment Program. As part of this Provincial Program, Sheila worked closely with colleagues across the province of Alberta to further develop Provincial Core Standards regarding the delivery of domestic violence treatment services. The services evolved from the existing psycho-educational group to a more holistic client-centred treatment model including individual and group treatment.  

Understanding and working with the ‘whole’ client in the therapeutic process was essential to assist men to take responsibility for their abusive behaviour and begin to build the relationships they prefer with their partners, children and community.

Expanding the practice included enhancing assessment practices, adding case management and individual therapy supports. Program development included embedding processes from Tod-Scott’s (2008) Narrative Therapy: Abuse Intervention Program into the existing practices resulting in a treatment program that emphasized the importance of identity and collaboration in the therapeutic relationship.

1.17

Challenges in Family Law in Cases of Intimate Domestic Violence – Allan Wade, Shelly Bonnah, and Linda  Coates

Intimate partner violence presents daunting challenges in family law, where decisions about parenting and child safety are the primary concern. Child protection teams vary widely in how they respond to intimate partner violence when there is a so-called “custody and access dispute” and sometimes refuse to intervene at all.  As well, the Court often orders former partners who share children to obtain a custody and access report, to aid in its decision-making. However the Court may not know how to evaluate expert psychological evidence and therefore how much weight to give psychological reports.  Using detailed examples, we present an analysis of the context in which such assessments are ordered or sought out, and the biases and outcomes of common psychological tests and misconceptions about victims and offenders. We present an alternative practice framework and show how to obtain more just and accurate descriptions, with a focus on children’s ever-present responses and resistance to violence.

1.18

Enhancing Victim and Child Safety Through Supervised Access Services (Part A) – Judy Newman and Valya Roberts

Research shows that access to children is a key flashpoint for post-separation violence and a time of great danger for victims and their children. Further research posits that supervised access services can play a role in reducing that risk. We propose to explore the variables that impact on the effectiveness of supervised access services to provide a safe setting for families where domestic violence is an issue. This includes implementation of best practices, and education and training for supervised access providers and community collaboration.  We will also examine the criteria used by the courts when making orders for supervised access.  

Judy Newman MSW, RSW from Toronto, Ontario Canada is the manager of the Supervised Access Program, Ministry of the Attorney General. Judy oversees funding contracts with service providers and works with them to develop policies, procedures and training. Judy was actively involved in the development of supervised access services before taking on her current position. Judy is a registered professional social worker who previously worked at the Office of the Children’s Lawyer working with children and families involved in high conflict custody and access disputes conducting investigations and assisting children’s counsel to represent the interests of children before the court. Judy is a field instructor and adjunct lecturer for the Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto and a field instructor for Ryerson University social work program. She is also working with Dr. Michael Saini from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work to develop a risk based tool to assist in making orders for supervised access. She is a recipient of the Judith Wallach President’s Award and the Hedi Levenback Award for Provider of the Year from the Supervised Visitation Network (SVN) recognizing her contribution to the profession.  She is also a frequent workshop presenter at SVN and other conferences both in Canada and abroad.

Valya Roberts is a dynamic and creative Senior Manager with a 30-year proven track record of success in the Non Profit Community Service Sector. Past President of the Supervised Visitation Network, an international organization dealing with policies, practices for Supervised Visitation providers and partners in Canada, USA, Asia and Europe.  Current Executive Director of a Social Services agency. Current Professor of Human Services at Mohawk College.  Provided consultation and expertise to several organizations including: Ministry of the Attorney General; U.S. Justice Department (VAWO) and Safe Havens National Review Committee. Graduate of Mohawk College, University of Waterloo (Renison College) and Masters of Education (pending 2013).  Valya is currently completing graduate research with Nipissing University which will examine whether supervised access centres keep victims of domestic violence and their children safe and the variables that impact the effectiveness of supervised access centres in Ontario.

Domestic Violence, Custody Access: An Office of the Children’s Lawyer Perspective (Part B) – Carolyn Leach and Silvia Novak

The Office of the Children's Lawyer [“OCL”] is an independent law office operating within Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General.  Its mandate is to advance and protect the interests of children in certain types of legal proceedings, including family law proceedings dealing with custody and access.  The OCL provides legal representation to children in custody/access matters, and makes recommendations to assist the court in making decisions about the best interests of children.  Issues of domestic violence arise in many of our cases, and present a unique set of challenges and concerns to legal and clinical professionals within the OCL.

This workshop will briefly review how the courts have addressed allegations of domestic violence in custody/access case.  From there, we will discuss how OCL professionals approach domestic violence issues when providing service to children and families in the family justice system.  Topics to be explored will include:  considerations for interviewing parents and children, assessing safety and risk, developing appropriate access plans, and the viability of co-parenting arrangements in these circumstances.  Case examples will be used to highlight the particular challenges presented by these situations. Current controversies and research in this area will also be explored. 

Carolyn Leach has been counsel with the Office of the Children’s Lawyer since 1998, following a brief period in private practice (focusing primarily on family law).  In this capacity, Carolyn provides legal representation to children in child protection and custody/access proceedings, at both the trial and appellate level.  She appears regularly as child’s counsel in all the Toronto courts.  In addition to her own casework, Carolyn provides supervision and support to panel lawyers representing children on behalf of the OCL in Northern Ontario and Toronto. 

Silvia Novak started her social work career in child welfare and then returned to obtain her MSW, focusing in on the areas of child welfare and domestic violence. She worked at the McGill Domestic Violence Clinic, Peel Children’s Center, the Child Welfare Secretariat and has also co-facilitated PAR treatment groups for six years. Silvia is currently a clinical supervisor with the Office of the Children’s Lawyer.  She supervises clinical panel members, conducts custody and access investigations and provides assistance to counsel in representing children. 

1.19

Risks and Strengths Among Religious Immigrant Women:  An Analysis of the Maritimes (Part A) – Cathy Holtmann

Women who have immigrated to Canada in the past decade find themselves at the intersection of multiple structural inequalities based on class, gender, ethnicity, and religion (Crenshaw, 1994; Hill-Collins, 2000). Social scientific data indicates that women on the margins of Canadian society may be more vulnerable in regards to domestic violence (Fong, 2010). Brownridge (2009) argues for a consideration of specific risk factors at various levels of social interaction for different groups of women including religious immigrants. Contrary to popular stereotypes, religious women are not more likely to experience domestic violence yet the nature of their worldviews and social interaction can present both vulnerabilities and strengths when it comes to community-based responses (Nason-Clark, 2012). This presentation will focus on the results of sociological research conducted in the Maritimes with almost one hundred Christian and Muslim women from twenty three different counties of origin. Interview and focus group data will be analyzed in relation to the women’s participation in both formal and informal social networks in order to identify strengths and risk factors in their access to information and various forms of support. The analysis is informed by theoretical perspectives drawn from the feminist and advocacy literature.

Cathy Holtmann is a doctoral candidate in the Sociology Department at the University of New Brunswick. She serves as the student caucus leader for the Religion and Diversity Project (www.religionanddiversity.ca), a mutli-collaborative research initiative exploring the contours and controversies of religious diversity in Canada. Her research program includes the availability of resources on domestic violence to Catholics across Canada and an analysis of how Catholic women become involved in social action. Cathy has been a research assistant with the RAVE Project, or Religion and Violence e-Learning Project (www.theraveproject.org) under the direction of Dr. Nancy Nason-Clark since 2007. The RAVE Project develops web-based resources and online training to assist religious leaders and their congregations in becoming part of a multi-disciplinary and community coordinated response to the problem of domestic violence.

Exploring the Influence of Religious and Spiritual Beliefs in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence (Part B) – Leland Maerz

In confusing the separation of church and state with the triumph of science and reason over religion and faith, modern secularism has produced a pressured and constrained situation where religious values and beliefs are often perceived to be inappropriate and\or inadequate for addressing problems within counselling therapy.  Using group discussion, autoethnographic accounts, and current research from a variety of disciplines, this workshop will address the specific challenges of exploring religious and spiritual ideas with victims and perpetrators of intimate partner violence.
The theory and practice of narrative therapy will be presented as not only offering a way of addressing religious and spiritual beliefs in cases involving domestic violence but also in contributing to a ‘post-secular’ manner of public engagement. While there is every indication in research and in popular opinion that this change is needed, there is little being written or said about the practices that might make this ethically safe and therapeutically effective. The therapeutic process and relationship encouraged in narrative therapy is built on ‘externalizing’ practices that reveal the implicit influences of societal discourses upon the lives of clients and therapists.  In this way religion and spirituality can be explored as both constraining of, and a potential resource toward, a more preferred experience of intimate relationships.

Leland Maerz’ previous experiences as an Anglican pastor, youth care worker and high school teacher led him to pursue a second graduate degree in counselling at Acadia University. He has travelled and worked extensively overseas in Africa and South East Asia. Currently he is settled in a surfside home in Nova Scotia and is an employed therapist at Bridges Institute in Truro and at Family Service Association in Halifax.  Leland is interested in philosophical hermeneutics, ‘post-secular’ discourses and how these may be applied to addressing religion and spirituality in counselling. 

1.20

Parental Alienation: Helping Alienated Families and Dispelling Misunderstandings (Part A) – Kathleen Reay

Parental alienation (PA) is a tragic form of DV, IPV and child abuse. For a considerable period of time some distorted facts on PA have been published in popular media and some scientific literature.  Some individuals and groups continue to deny the reality of this form of abuse unless the perpetrator is a violent man. Yet, most DV training programs consider coercive control and manipulation as a component of DV. As such, DV can include battering, but a woman or a man can still endure DV without battering.  The primary objective of this presentation is to help dispel some misinformation about PA. A major focus will be on the scientific validity of PA, assessment and treatment interventions for justifiable and unjustifiable alienation, and the importance for professionals and courts to exercise caution prior to accepting allegations of alienation as true. Children must be kept from being placed in the care of physically and psychologically abusive parents.  Nevertheless, this concern must not stop mental health and legal professionals from protecting children against the cruelty of being manipulated by one parent to hatefully reject their other healthy, nurturing parent. Case studies, video vignettes and Landmark court decisions will be provided.

Dr. Kathleen Reay has over 23 years experience as a therapist, researcher, litigation-related consultant, expert witness, speaker, trainer and author. She holds a PhD, MA and BA in psychology, and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Family Studies.  Dr. Reay has a tremendous amount of experience as a therapist and advocate for survivors of domestic violence.  In 2010, she was honored to achieve Diplomate status with the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress for working with numerous survivors of traumatic events. Dr. Reay is an expert on Parental Alienation, Parental Alienation Syndrome, trauma and estrangement. Her published PhD dissertation explored the long-term effects of Parental Alienation. She is the Founder and Director of the International Institute for Parental Alienation Studies (IIPAS) and is currently conducting two other studies on PA. Dr. Reay was a keynote speaker at the 2011 Canadian Symposium for Parental Alienation Syndrome in Montreal. In 2012, her book called Toxic Divorce: A Workbook for Alienated Parents was “Winner” in the Parenting/Family: Divorce category and “Finalist” in the Self-Help: Relationships category at the International Book Awards held in Los Angeles. Dr. Reay is currently writing a manual for clinicians on effective assessment and treatment interventions for alienation.

The Journey Away From Abuse: Conversations With Men and Women About Domestic Abuse and Violence (Part B) – Marilee Burwash-Brennan and Jane Donovan

This presentation will explore the metaphor of ‘healing and repair’ from domestic abuse and violence and how it impacts the journey away from abuse.  Marilee and Jane will share their experience of addressing issues of domestic violence with men, women and couples through their work at Bridges - a Men’s Domestic Abuse Intervention Program.  Participants will be invited to share their insights, ideas and struggles in their own work.

Marilee Burwash-Brennan, MSW, RSW, has worked in the domestic abuse field for over twenty five years as a counsellor at a women’s shelter, leading groups for women and currently as a counsellor and group facilitator at Bridges – a Men’s Domestic Abuse Intervention Program in Truro, Nova Scotia. She has also worked for over twenty years as a private clinical therapist with children, families and couples who are experiencing marital conflict and abuse.  She currently works as a clinical supervisor at a counselling agency in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Marilee’s practice is influenced by feminist, collaborative and narrative therapy, as well as her own personal experience.

Jane Donovan, RCT, has been working in the field of domestic violence at Bridges - a Men’s Domestic Abuse Intervention Program in Truro, Nova Scotia and New Start Abuse Counselling in Halifax, Nova Scotia since 2006.  Her therapeutic approach has been influenced primarily by narrative therapy and also by her background in fine arts, solution focused therapy and feminist theory.  The focus of her work is to create possibilities for men and their families to move away from abuse and build respectful relationships.

1.21

Mothering and Woman Abuse: A Group Program (Part A) – Debbie Zweep and Katreena Scott

A program developed for mothers: who have experienced woman abuse in their intimate relationships. All of these conditions can attribute to mothering that may benefit from additional education, support and resources. Through this support mothers are better able to be available and present to their children in a meaningful and loving manner.

This presentation will outline a 16 week Group Program (2 hours/wk) designed to help mothers improve their mothering of their children. Mindfulness meditation and practices are included in the development and delivery of this program. There is also 4 weeks of individual work included within the 16 weeks.

Debbie Zweep is a mother of two young men: Justin and Myles and has been the Executive Director of Faye Peterson House for the past 15 years. After years of running a shelter for abused women and children and years of training and running marathons, was drawn to the practice of yoga at a point of transition and growth in my life where she needed to find a way to manage the stress and resulting anxiety. Yoga allowed me to focus my mind and created a calmness she was seeking. Having had this experience with yoga, she decided to become a teacher of yoga to integrate her personal experience into my work with abused women and her staff in hopes they too could experience this same kind of peace.  Out of this peace and love and with the help of my staff member Alyson Carroll this program was developed.

Katreena Scott, Ph.D. C. Psych. is an Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist in the Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology of the University of Toronto and the Canada Research Chair in Family Violence Prevention and Treatment. Dr. Scott has authored numerous articles and book chapters on the development of violent relationships, the efficacy of service to male batterers, the effect of abuse and trauma on children and on empirically and ethically sound policies for working with abuse perpetrators. Dr. Scott is also the lead investigator on the Caring Dads: Helping Fathers Value their Children program for fathers who have been abusive in their families. This program has had significant international impact and has been adopted for use in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, Japan, United States, Ireland and Hong Kong.   

New Technology to Challenge Violence (Part B) – Andrea Gunraj

Digital games, social media and mobile apps have been used in many fields, including public health, medicine and the military. They have shown themselves to be powerful tools to connect and train professionals, raise public awareness and knowledge, and promote attitudinal and behavioural change.

While researchers and anti-violence advocates have been discussing how technology can be used to perpetrate abuse, there are fewer discussions on how they can be harnessed to stop and deal with it. Application of technological tools for education, prevention and intervention in situations of domestic violence is comparatively rare.

How are these new technologies being applied to address domestic violence and other forms of violence that diverse women and youth are most at risk of? What are the challenges and opportunities they present, and what are the indications of their effectiveness in training, connecting, building awareness, and promoting attitudinal and behavioural change? This presentation will explore these burgeoning topics in an ever-connected, ever-changing and information-dizzy social landscape. It will also explore best practices in applying these tools to deal with domestic violence amongst diverse communities and across their differing access to and relationship with technology.

Andrea Gunraj holds over a decade of experience with diverse communities to prevent violence against women and youth and support their capacity to build safety. At METRAC (the Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children), she has lead successful projects using technology to prevent and challenge violence from an anti-oppressive perspective. One such project is the development of RePlay: Finding Zoe/ReJouer: Où est Zoé?, an award-winning online video game to build healthy, equal relationships amongst youth. Another is the development of “What It Is”, an online, mobile and Facebook game that challenges sexual violence against youth and has been downloaded over 85,000 times globally. Most recently, Andrea was co-author of “Power to the People: Anti-Oppressive Game Design” (in Designing Games for Ethics: Models, Techniques and Frameworks, IGI Global) and led the creation of “Not Your Baby”, an iPhone app to help people deal with sexual harassment. The app has been featured in media such as CBC News, CityTV News, Jezebel and Huffington Post Canada.

1.22

Understanding the Impact of IPV: Training Programs for Professionals – Carmen Gill and Rina Arsenault

Many professionals often encounter victims of IPV while performing their daily services. It is true for professionals of various sectors such as social work, justice and health. Other sectors also encounter victims of IPV, such as cosmetology, hospital industry, clergy and many others. Intervening in situations of IPV is one of the most difficult and challenging aspects for professionals. Yet most of these professionals do not receive formal training on the complexities of IPV and how it encompasses a wide range of abusive behaviours in addition to physical violence.
Successful interventions relative to IPV are based on knowledge and effective practices. Professionals are not always able to recognize the signs of IPV as their direct practice may be on other issues than IPV. In addition, abused women do not always disclose violence to professionals and, as a result, may not get the support they need.

The Muriel McQueen Ferguson Centre for Family Violence Research have developed training programs regarding appropriated response to IPV, tailored to professions such as social workers, police officers, cosmetologists.
These training programs provide understanding of the dynamics of IPV, what it is, why it occurs, the process of ending violence, and the impact that it has on the lives of individuals, including victims, their children and violent partners.
This presentation will provide an overview of our training programs of “Understanding the Impact of Intimate Partner Violence: Training Programs for Professionals”. It will be an opportunity to discuss the development, the delivery and the learning about training programs.

Dr. Carmen Gill is the Director of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research and Director of the Canadian observatory on the justice system response to intimate partner violence at the University of New Brunswick. She is also cross-appointed as Professor of sociology. Over the last six years Dr. Gill has been able to establish a strong network of experts involved in research and policy development on the justice system’s response to intimate partner violence. She conducted the evaluation of the Moncton Provincial Court – Domestic Violence Pilot Project in New Brunswick and has prepared a report on domestic homicide in New Brunswick. Her areas of expertise are in the fields of family, social policy, violence against women and the justice system response.

Rina Arseneault has been the Associate Director of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research since November 1993. She is recognized as an activist and educator on women issues. She has organized numerous training opportunities and workshops.  Her experience includes extensive work with community -- organizations, individual researchers, government agencies, the media and victims of violence. In 1997, Rina was honoured with the NB Advisory Council on the Status of Women Recognition Award for her contribution to improving the status of women in New Brunswick. She also received the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation Award in 2002, for her work in violence against women and family violence

1.23

Responding to Non-Status, Refugee and Immigrant Women (NSRIW) Who Experience IPV: From Settlement to Empowerment – Rosa Arteaga

A cutting edge presentation that addresses the urgent need for a response to violence against Non-Status, Refugee and Immigrant Women (NSRIW) as these communities continues to grow in Canada as well as more than ever people are being displaced all over the world. This presentation will promote principles, practices and tools based on a feminist, anti-oppression analysis that reflect the diversity of communities can lead to better practices when working with NSRIW who experience violence in their intimate relationship. The women-centred approach comes from a desire to end oppression against women at a personal and societal level. We understand that the impact of colonization in Canada and in other colonized countries have contributed to inequality, abuse of power and domination of women which are the seeds of violence.

This work is based on a very effective practice and service model which originated from our research and front-line work with marginalized women. Through a multi-media, interactive presentation, analysis, practice models, and tools will be provided in a way that can be adapted by participants to their specific needs in their work.

Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS) has provided feminist counselling, systemic advocacy, community education and violence prevention for over thirty years. Throughout this time we have embarked on several initiatives to facilitate change in our communities and to ultimately end violence against women. One of our initiatives has been to address the issue of violence against Non-status, Refugee and Immigrant women (NSRIW). Our work on this matter includes, but is not limited to, facilitating support groups for NSRIW survivors, settlement workers training, and publications such as our manual on a woman-centred approach to managing the spectrum of needs from settlement to empowerment.

Rosa Elena Arteaga has been working in the anti-violence field for over fourteen years delivering workshops on violence against women and providing crisis intervention and gender violence training to service providers to a provincial and national level. She has a wealth of experience as an anti-violence worker, counselor and advocate for women escaping violence. For the last nine years, in her role as Manager of Direct Services and Programs at BWSS, Rosa Elena has integrated progressive practices into her work as a counsellor, supervisor and trainer to empower women who are dealing with gender violence and abuse. She is currently a faculty member of the School of Narrative Therapy in Vancouver, BC. Rosa highlights the ethics of therapist responsibility; structures of safety; group work practice, and team building. Rosa Elena is passionate about her work which is framed in a feminist, anti-oppression, anti-colonial perspective and is an active agent of change towards eradicating violence against women.

Keynote

Distinguishing Among Types of Intimate Partner Violence: Research Evidence– Michael P. Johnson, Ph.D.

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Friday March 1, 2013

Keynote

Changing the topic: New ways of thinking about men, women and “failure to protect'" when children witness intimate partner abuse – Julia Krane, Simon LaPierre, Sarah Maiter, Susan Strega

AM Workshops

2.0

Encouraging Positive Outcomes: The Needs ABC Treatment Model for Difficult Clients - Tom Caplan

The problem often encountered in group work treatment is how to help clients become more resilient by choosing alternative strategies to what they have been accustomed both within and without the context of the treatment itself. Many clinicians and theoreticians would agree that one of the chief impediments to a favorable treatment outcome is the difficulty that most clients have in assessing their relational and emotional needs in order to consider what alternative and more practical strategies they can use to resolve the issues that brought them into therapy.

Since clients, regardless of their motivation, often feel anxious in undertaking a process of change, they can be perceived as unmotivated or "resistant" in the treatment setting. This can become readily evident in treatment addressing behavioural problems such as substance abuse, domestic violence, gambling, etc. The goal of this workshop is to give the participants an experiential demonstration of the fundamentals of using interventions that incorporate the illumination of client relational needs as well as identifying more and less useful emotions in relational problem-solving. These strategies are currently being used in a number of behavioural treatment settings including the McGill University Domestic Violence Clinic and The Montreal Anger Management Centre.

Tom Caplan, MSW is a social worker in private practice who works with individuals, couples, families and groups.  He is an Adjunct Professor at McGill University in the School of Social Work and director and supervisor of the McGill Domestic Violence Clinic.  He is also a designated expert in Domestic Violence for the Quebec Court System. Tom does clinical work with forensic populations, is the Clinical Director of the Caplan Therapy Centre and is the founder and supervisor of the Montreal Anger Management Centre. Tom is on the faculty of the Argyle Institute of Human Relations. Tom also presents workshops, gives trainings and lectures in universities, junior colleges and local community centers. He has participated in research projects in collaboration with McGill University, Concordia University, the Jewish General Hospital and the Douglas Hospital. Tom is on the editorial board of Social Work with Groups, is a certified marriage and family therapist and a certified marriage and family therapy supervisor (A.A.M.F.T.), an internationally certified alcohol and drug counsellor (I.C.A.D.C.) and a member of the Professional Order of Social Workers of Quebec (OPTSQ).

2.1

Contempt for Men: In Search of Good Masculine – Dale Trimble

Degrading images and objectification of women has been pervasive and insidious for countless years and provide a medium in which violence against women is perpetuated. A history of the abuse of women is often used to justify contempt for males. But doing the same thing to men is not a solution, instead, it is counter- productive to the creation of a culture of respect for both genders. Whether in sit-coms, advertising or Hollywood movies men are frequently shamed and ridiculed.  In mainstream couples therapy, men may be judged by the therapist as needing to be more like a woman in order to be a good partner. Invisible contempt for men is a destructive environment in which men’s use of abusive practices grows. In this workshop we will examine media images, cultural practices and therapeutic responses that show contempt for men. Together we will uncover what is the deep masculine that is good? Who are the heroes and images that should be emulated today? How have we, as women or men, contributed to shaming or marginalizing men, even when we have had the best of intent? And how can we add to anti-violence work a practical understanding of contempt and an inspiring model for the good masculine.  

Dale Trimble, MA, RCC has provided therapy to men who have used violence in intimate relationships since 1977.  In 1981 Dale co-founded the first court ordered treatment program for men who assault their partners in BC. He was a founding Board Member of the B.C. Association of Counsellors of Abusive Men. In 2000 he received a distinguished service award from the association and in 2007 he received The Alayne Hamilton Award for distinguished service in the field of ending men’s violence. He was the lead author of the Canadian syllabus for CP 602 – The Psychology of Trauma and Interpersonal Violence for City University of Seattle, Vancouver, BC campus.  In 1995 he wrote and produced the one-hour television program, Themes of Defense: Understanding Men Who Assault Their Partners. Dale wrote Counselling Programs for Men Who are Violent in Relationships: Questions and Answers for Practitioners in the Health, Social Service and Criminal Justice Systems, Health Canada, 2000. In 2003-04 Dale was the recipient of the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, President’s Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Profession. Dale has a private practice in Vancouver, BC. He has completed extensive training in of Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), a model he applies to his work that is dedicated to ending violence in relationships.

2.2

Exploring the Intersection of Substance Use and Violence Against Women – Stephanie Baker

Substance use and violence against women, in and of themselves, are significant personal, social, and political issues.  As a concurrent matter, it has caused notable dissonance amongst helpers with regards to how support is constructed and offered, particularly for men who struggle with these concerns.

Currently, the endorsement of contrasting theoretical frameworks leads to significant discrepancy when addressing these issues simultaneously.  The primary aim of this workshop is to deconstruct the ways in which these discrepancies and tensions impact our work with men.  It will invite participants to consider a more comprehensive way in which to examine this as a concurrent issue, in addition to highlighting alternative frameworks that can assist with our understanding and helping.  An exploration of the inherent parallels connecting these issues will be offered, as well strategies that we as helpers can use in shifting our practice to encompass a more integrated approach in working with men.

Stephanie Baker is currently a PhD student at Wilfrid Laurier University where her work examines the intersection of substance use and violence against women relative to men who struggle with these concerns.

Stephanie’s experience within social work over the past 15 years spans a number of areas including: addiction, mental health, intimate partner violence, concurrent disorders, and acquired brain injury.  In conjunction with her current studies, Stephanie teaches for McMaster University and Wilfrid Laurier University, is a social worker for the Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Program with the Niagara Health System, continues to facilitate domestic violence groups with men, women, and children, and provides consultation and training for a variety of community organizations. 

2.3

Trauma Informed Approaches to Care: A Workshop for Clinicians and Consumers Dealing with IPV – Lisebeth Gatkowski, Mary-Lou Martin, Fran Zypula, and Linda Carey

This interactive workshop will describe a Trauma Informed Care (TIC) Approach for organizations, consumers and clinicians. Individuals with mental health needs are vulnerable to trauma; many have previous trauma which significantly impacts on their treatment and recovery. Often clinicians do no respond therapeutically to patients with trauma. TIC offers a person-centred approach to trauma. A unique feature of TIC is the way it brings together the perspectives of consumers and clinicians within the context of evidence informed care and the individual’s lived experience. This session will examine the research, the unique needs of individuals with trauma, the complex issues that emerge and will focus on trauma disclosure and what clinicians and consumers can expect. Strategies that support patient recovery, best practices and change in organizational culture will be highlighted. The findings from an on-going research study describing clinician’s perspectives about the care of patients and the patient’s perceptions about their care in a mental health setting will be described and used to illustrate how existing care can be evaluated and used to promote patients and clinicians engaging in care relationships that support recovery. A variety of activities will be offered. Participants will collaborate in sharing knowledge and bridging gaps in understanding TIC. Participants will come to understand how TIC can support empowerment, choice and recovery.

Lisebeth Gatkowski, is a Nurse Educator with the Mental Health and Addiction Program at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. She was a panel member developing the RNAO BPG: Woman Abuse

Mary-Lou Martin is a clinical nurse specialist (mental health) at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and is an Associate Clinical Professor at McMaster University.

Fran Szypula is a Nurse Educator for the Mental Health and Addiction Program at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton.

Linda Carey joined the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office in May 1990. She is the Patient Advocate at St. Joseph’s Healthcare – West 5th Campus.

2.4

Working With Parents and Children in Groups: The Caring Families Program – Raghida Mazzawi and Rosanne Nunn

Interparental conflict has a significant impact on children’s development thus affecting their physical, social and emotional wellbeing. We will present our experience with implementing the Caring Families program, which takes a holistic approach to working with families who are dealing with either high marital conflict or domestic violence. This is a sixteen week program where the parents enter separate groups for mothers and fathers the first eight weeks and the children join the process the last eight weeks.

Caring Families is based on a model that is effective in reducing the conflict between the parents and increasing the support available to children thus reducing the negative impact of family breakdown on children’s mental health.

We will present two cases that identify challenges as well as success.  We will emphasize the importance of a collaborative team approach to ensure family members experience a sense of continuity in the change process. By simultaneously considering the needs of each family member, we are considering the need of the entire family as a unit. In our experience this reduces parental conflict by reducing the impact of the fragmented nature of traditional service

Raghida Mazzawi has completed an Early Childhood Education Certificate from Sheridan College (1996), a Bachelor of Arts; Honours Psychology degree at the University of Waterloo (1993) and a Master of Counselling degree at the University of Calgary (2008). 

For the past five years Raghida has been with Nova Vita and is currently the Supervisor of Community Counselling Services.  She has worked as an intake worker and counsellor with women and children who have experienced domestic violence. She was involved in the development of the curriculum for the children’s groups of the Caring Families program and has also worked with men, women and children who attend the program.

Raghida also organized the multicultural outreach initiative at Nova Vita and continues to collaborate with community partners to better meet the unique needs of the immigrant population.

Three years ago Raghida took charge of the Nova Vita Evaluation Framework for the Caring Families program. This initiative was supported by the Ontario Center of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health and a team at Nova Vita. Raghida has also offered information sessions and workshops on domestic violence and the impact on children who have witnessed abuse.

Rosanne Nunn is a Domestic Violence Worker for Nova Vita Domestic Violence Prevention Services in Brantford, Ontario. She earned a Social Service Worker Diploma in 2004. Through on-going Professional Development Rosanne has obtained certificates in Threat Assessment – Level I & II and O.D.A.R.A.

Rosanne has worked as a frontline worker in a women’s shelter since 2002.  Currently she facilitates in a Partner Assault Response Program (PAR), the Caring Families program and the Nova Vita Partner Contact Program. Rosanne provides assessment and consultation services to The Children’s Aid Society of Brant (CAS) on the impact of domestic violence on families and shares her expertise with the CAS workers in domestic violence issues. Rosanne has also been involved in the Child Witness Program, and has coordinated the Caring Families Program. Since 2004 Rosanne has volunteered with Victim Services of Brant as a crisis worker supporting the victims of crime in the community.

2.5

“Take a Risk, Take a Chance, Make a Change and Break Away”: Protection Practices with Mothers in Situations of Child Sexual Abuse – Julia Krane and Rosemary Carlton

Child protection practices in cases of sexual abuse have tended to depend on non-offending mothers for believing, supporting, and protecting their children from such maltreatment. Reliance on maternal protection is consistent with the principles of legislation that privilege child safety and favor family autonomy, least intrusion, and stability in children’s attachments and care; it is compatible with Eurocentric dominant ideologies of maternal nurturance and self-sacrifice. However, it tends to place the challenges facing non-offending mothers – who may be ambivalent or seemingly unprotective -- on the periphery of practice. This is understandable; after all, today’s world of child protection is one in which practice is fast-paced, time bound, highly proceduralized and risk averse. But this context for practice is not without its consequences. Research suggests that contrary to the core guiding principles of CPS practice, this context provides fertile grounds for scrutiny, defensive practices and adversarial relationships with the very women relied upon to protect their children following sexual abuse. Drawing on recent calls for innovation in child protection, this workshop proposes a practice that allows for taking risks with non-offending mothers; it embraces the notion of ‘timeliness’ to engage in meaningful relationships with non-offending mothers; it supports more flexibility and fluidity in assessment and decision-making versus urgency; and it promotes workers’ use of professional skills and judgment to generate complex understandings of non-offending mothers whose protective efforts are shaped by their social locations and personal contexts.

Julia Krane, Ph.D, is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at McGill University and Clinical Consultant for a number of shelters for women and children experiencing intimate partner abuse and service providers for both abusive men and abused women. Her research endeavors centre on child protection, child sexual abuse, and intimate partner abuse from feminist, critical, and intersectionality perspectives with particular attention to disrupting attributions of mother blame in front line social work practice with vulnerable women. At present, Julia is working on a funded project with cultural and linguistic interpreters that aims to determine the needs of ethnoracial minority women following temporary residency at a shelter in order to develop a model for assisting them to establish their independence following experiences of intimate partner abuse.

2.6

Together for Justice:  Improving RCMP Responses to Indigenous Families in the Yukon– Allan Wade, Ann Maje-Raider, Barb McInerney, Kelly MacQuarrier and Cathy Richardson

Together for Justice is a project of the Liard Aboriginal Women’s Society (LAWS), the Yukon Women’s Coalition, and the R.C.M.P.  The purpose of the project is to improve R.C.M.P. responses to violence in Kaska Dene communities, centred in Watson Lake, and to Indigenous communities throughout the Yukon.  To this end, LAWS hosted a series of gatherings over a period of two years, involving command and street level R.C.M.P., women’s organizations and activists, community members and Kaska Dene representatives, including elders.  The presenters, all participants in the project, will speak to the context and origins of the project, the activities at various gatherings, developments in R.C.M.P. response to violence in the Yukon, and the development of more just and effective working relationships. 

Barbara McInerney has worked in the anti-violence movement since 1990. She is the Executive Director of Kaushee's Place Housing Society and the Yukon Women's Transition Home Society in Whitehorse, Yukon where she has worked since 2000. She is an activist, advocate, mother and grandmother who is dedicated to the advancement and equality of women.

2.7

Moving Orthopaedic Surgeons to Action! Building Bridges in IPV Awareness Through Collaboration – Mohit Bhandari, Emil Schemitsch and Douglas Thomson

Violence against women is a surgeon’s issue.  Although intimate partner violence (IPV) has been studied extensively in family medicine, emergency medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology, relatively little attention has focused on IPV from a surgical perspective.  The journey to engage orthopaedic surgeons began almost 10 years ago.  This team, spanning several countries, has produced several large, multinational studies, a dozen publications, and a large global collaborative of surgeons, researchers, psychologists, and social workers all working to understand and raise awareness of this health issue.

Key partnerships with the Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA) have accelerated the ability to create awareness and interact with policy level officials towards change. Dr. Bhandari led the working group for the COA which developed a position statement on the surgeon’s role in IPV detection and support.

Today, most orthopaedic surgeons in Canada are aware of IPV, and engagement in education is increasing every day. Canada serves as the focus of IPV and Surgeon Awareness activities for the world - none of which could have been possible without a collaborative effort that extended far beyond the surgeons themselves.

The journey is far from over in orthopaedics. Despite major advances, several key barriers exist; barriers that can be overcome, but only with collective and inter-disciplinary solutions.

Dr. Mohit Bhandari is a Professor and Academic Head in the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at McMaster University. His medical degree and orthopaedic training were completed at the University of Toronto and McMaster University. Dr. Bhandari currently holds a Canada Research Chair in Musculoskeletal Trauma and Surgical Outcomes. Dr. Bhandari's clinical interests include the care of patients with musculoskeletal injuries.  His research broadly focuses upon clinical trials, meta-analyses, methodological aspects of surgery trials and the translation of evidence into surgical practice. Specific areas of interest include intimate partner violence, identifying optimal management strategies to improve patient-important outcomes in patients with multiple injuries, lower extremity fractures and severe soft tissue injuries. Dr. Bhandari participated in developing the Canadian Orthopaedic Association’s position statement on intimate partner violence and he is Principal Investigator of the large multi-centre PRAISE study that aims to assess the prevalence of intimate partner violence in orthopaedic patients.

Dr. Emil Schemitsch is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Toronto, and head of the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at St. Michael’s Hospital at the University of Toronto.  A University of Toronto graduate in Medicine, Dr. Schemitsch completed his orthopaedic training at the University of Toronto. To broaden his clinical exposure, he trained with world experts at the University of Washington (Harborview Medical Center) and Harvard University.

Dr. Schemitsch's clinical interests include the management of patients with complex lower extremity fractures, hip and knee reconstruction, and computer assisted surgery. Dr. Schemitsch’s research has focused upon the care of patients with musculoskeletal injuries and intimate partner violence, computer assisted surgery, clinical trials and outcome studies. He has received international recognition for his research efforts.  As Past President of the Canadian Orthopaedic Association, Dr. Schemitsch has taken a leadership role in research and awareness-raising activities with respect to intimate partner violence in orthopaedics.

Douglas Thomson is CEO of the Canadian Orthopaedic Association and is uniquely qualified to understand the issues and look after the best interests of Canada’s practising orthopaedic surgeons. Prior to joining the COA in 2001, he enjoyed a successful, twenty-year career in the medical-device industry and, thus, has an insider’s appreciation of how surgeons and industry interact. Mr. Thomson began his career in 1980 as a product manager at Zimmer Canada, moving up a decade later to director of international marketing and ultimately to President (1993-95). He then served as President of DePuy Canada for six years.  Until July 2008, Mr. Thomson also served as the CEO of the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation, a registered charity which raises funds to foster excellence in orthopaedics and patient outcomes through continuing education and research.

2.8

Understanding the Impact of IPV: Training Programs for Professionals (en francais) – Carmen Gill and Rina Arseneault

Comprendre les répercussions de la violence conjugale : programmes de formation à l'intention des professionnels
Il arrive souvent que des professionnels rencontrent des victimes de violence conjugale (VC) dans l’exercice de leurs fonctions quotidiennes. Ils œuvrent dans divers domaines et milieux, dont le travail social, le système de justice et la santé, mais aussi bien d’autres encore, comme l’esthétique et l’industrie du tourisme. Ils peuvent aussi être membres du clergé. L’intervention en situation de violence conjugale est l’une de leurs tâches les plus difficiles et problématiques. Pourtant, la plupart d’entre eux ne reçoivent aucune formation officielle sur la complexité de la violence conjugale et sur le fait qu’elle compte de nombreux comportements abusifs en plus de la violence physique.

L’expérience nous a appris que les interventions réussies en situation de VC devaient leur succès à l’application de connaissances et de pratiques efficaces. Les professionnels ne savent pas toujours reconnaître les signes de VC, puisque cet enjeu ne fait pas toujours partie de leur champ d’activité quotidien. De plus, les femmes victimes de violence ne la dénoncent pas toujours aux professionnels qu’elles rencontrent et ne reçoivent donc pas toujours l’aide dont elles ont besoin.

Le Centre Muriel McQueen Fergusson pour la recherche sur la violence familiale (CMMF) élabore des programmes de formation sur l’intervention efficace en situation de VC. Il les conçoit sur mesure pour diverses professions, notamment pour les travailleurs sociaux, les agents de police et les esthéticiens.

Ces programmes de formation aident à comprendre la nature et la dynamique de la VC, ses causes, les mesures à prendre pour y mettre fin et ses répercussions sur la vie de toutes les personnes concernées, y compris les victimes, leur conjoint violent et leurs enfants.
La présentation d’aujourd’hui vous renseignera sommairement sur nos programmes de formation intitulés « Comprendre les répercussions de la violence conjugale : programmes de formation à l'intention des professionnels ». Elle nous permettra aussi de discuter de leur élaboration et de notre calendrier de formation.

Dr. Carmen Gill is the Director of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research and Director of the Canadian observatory on the justice system response to intimate partner violence at the University of New Brunswick. She is also cross-appointed as Professor of sociology. Over the last six years Dr. Gill has been able to establish a strong network of experts involved in research and policy development on the justice system’s response to intimate partner violence. She conducted the evaluation of the Moncton Provincial Court – Domestic Violence Pilot Project in New Brunswick and has prepared a report on domestic homicide in New Brunswick. Her areas of expertise are in the fields of family, social policy, violence against women and the justice system response.

Rina Arseneault has been the Associate Director of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research since November 1993. She is recognized as an activist and educator on women issues. She has organized numerous training opportunities and workshops.  Her experience includes extensive work with community -- organizations, individual researchers, government agencies, the media and victims of violence. In 1997, Rina was honoured with the NB Advisory Council on the Status of Women Recognition Award for her contribution to improving the status of women in New Brunswick. She also received the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation Award in 2002, for her work in violence against women and family violence

2.9

Calgary Domestic Violence Collective: Key Factors in Community Collaboration and Coordination  (Part A) – Andrea Silverstone, Brigitte Baradoy and Corinne Ofstie

The Calgary Domestic Violence Collective (CDVC) is a collaboration of social service agencies, funders and governmental bodies that work to end domestic violence.  The CDVC works with community partners to provide a collaborative coordinated response to violence prevention in Calgary.  We do this through influencing policy, building community capacity to address domestic violence and working together to address gaps and create seamless service delivery.  Our presentation will focus on exploring our unique collaborative and coordinated community response as a model for other regional sectors, highlighting what we consider to be the key factors contributing to our success, and the processes we went through to achieve those key factors.   As a large collective with representation from multiple systems and over 30 organizations, CDVC has developed a list of five priority areas for coordination, policy development and capacity building these are: Justice response to domestic violence; capacity building for sector and allied professionals; Affordable and accessible housing for those impacted by domestic violence; Effective response for children exposed to domestic violence; Coordinated community response to domestic violence; and Capacity building for the domestic violence sector and allied professionals.

Andrea Silverstone is the Executive Director of Peer Support Services for Abused Women.  She has over 10 years experience working with both clinical and peer support models of treatment for abused women.  She has been very involved in community development, working to create collaborative community models to end domestic violence.

Brigitte Baradoy is an oriented professional with sixteen years of front-line and management experience across a broad range of child and family services. She is currently the Executive Director of Discovery House Family Violence Prevention Society. Brigitte collaborated in cross-ministerial protocol development and training. She also monitored, evaluated and developed contractual agreements for service delivery.

Corinne Ofstie is the Coordinator of the Calgary Domestic Violence Collective (CDVC).  Corinne is one of two paid staff, responsible for advancing the CDVC goals of creating greater capacity of professionals and allied professionals, creating a collaborative community response and influencing policy towards the outcome of ending domestic violence.  As a recent graduate with active community involvement, Corinne joins the domestic violence sector with a focus on community development and advancing public policy.  With a Bachelors of Arts in English and a Bachelors of Social Work from the University of Calgary, Corinne has a strong foundation in collaboration, research, composition and coordination.

Storming Our Own Castle: Interrupting Violence Against Women across Idealogical  Divides (Part B) – Lisa Moy, Robert Lee and Erin McMurren

Our presentation centers on a case study of a women’s transition services organization in British Columbia which provides support to women and their families living through intimate partner violence. Beginning with the interrogation of our own assumptions of 'good' anti-violence work, this presentation traces various conversations and practices in a feminist organization that challenges domestic violence across ideological and political divides.

Through interviews with multiply situated agency members, past clients and 'non traditional' community partners, this research project explores the various practices and partnerships that have helped a feminist agency survive in an area  historically rooted in conservatism.  More broadly, this presentation revisits anti-oppressive practice and alliance building principles as integral tools in reducing the harm caused by gendered violence.  

Dr. Lisa Moy has been a faculty member with the School of Social Work and Human Services at the University of the Fraser Valley since 2000 and teaches courses about social justice and marginalization.  Her research interests include the  intersections of social justice and anti-violence work as well as alliance-building practices across institutional and community contexts. 

Dr. Rob Lees is the community psychologist for the Ministry for Children and Family Development in Chilliwack, British Columbia, where he focuses his work on “upstream” interventions to prevent mental illness and mitigate its’ impact in families. Although a primary passion has been families with parental mental illness, Rob is also interested in emerging practices related to trauma and violence. As a former United Church Minister he is keen to sort through the issues and partnerships that can emerge as communities grapple with domestic violence. He teaches mental health and addictions in the School of Child and Youth Care at the University of the Fraser Valley.

Erin McMurren is in the 4th year of the Bachelor of Social Work program at the University of the Fraser Valley. Erin is in the child welfare specialization and is interested in working with young people and mental illness upon graduation.

2.10

Abortion and Domestic Violence: Decision-Making Process and the Influence of the Perpetrator (Part A )– Isabelle Côté

This presentation will focus on the findings of an exploratory research project which sought to understand the decision-making process of abused women facing an unplanned pregnancy in the context of domestic violence (DV). Four women who have had one or more abortions in the past three years while in a violent relationship were individually met for a 90 minutes semi-structured interview. It appears that these women have little or no control over the decision regarding their reproductive rights, were at high-risk for sexually transmitted diseases and miscarriages, experienced an increase in violence during pregnancy and generally felt powerless regarding their choices when it came to pursuing or terminating an unwanted pregnancy. During this session, the presenter will discuss the issues of sexuality and contraception of abused women and the decision-making process, which appears to be based on 4 elements. These elements are individual factors, the couple’s situation, external constraints and DV. Based on their accounts, the presenter will discuss best practices and intervention strategies when working with these women, including contraceptive needs, the importance of DV screening in abortion clinics, as well as structural changes that will enable women to better access services.

Isabelle Côté is undertaking a Ph.D. in social work, at the University of Montreal. She recently graduated from the University of Ottawa, completing a Master degree in social work. Her thesis focussed on the experience of abused women who terminated a pregnancy in order to understand the decision-making process and the influence of domestic violence on the decision to end an unwanted pregnancy. Miss Côté is also the coordinator of two research project, both funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, titled “L’expérience et le point de vue d’enfants et d’adolescents exposés à la violence conjugale” and “Recherche-action visant le développement, l’implantation et l’évaluation de l’implantation d’un outil d’intervention facilitant la communication mère-enfant en contexte de violence conjugale”. Overall, her research focus on violence against women, domestic violence, abortion, and children exposure to domestic violence. Drawing upon qualitative methodologies, these research projects allowed her to meet victims and survivors of domestic violence in order to grasp the stories and underlying issues they’re facing. Isabelle Côté is also a member of a board of directors of a safe house in the Ottawa region.

Talk Around the Kitchen Table: How Do We Keep It Shameless? (Part B) – Flora Marcelo

As a woman in the field of social work, I had my own experience with violence against women when a client’s abusive partner targeted me for more than a year. I turned to the formal social structures that I trusted to protect me only to be ultimately dismissed. Consequently, I internalized the collective message that I was not worthy. I went from being a confident advocate to a cowering individual.  I could not speak, I literally and metaphorically lost my voice. I wanted no other woman to meet this devastating end and thus I began a PhD fueled by this passion.
In my study, the woman’s voice is of critical importance. I proposed ‘Talk around the kitchen table,’ where women could share their stories of domestic violence in a safe and supportive environment. I chose this gendered space of the ‘kitchen table’ for it is here that women have historically engaged in intimate and powerful conversations while finding ‘voice’ and empowerment. As ‘talk’ unfolded, something significant was realized, ‘shame’ was pervasive throughout many women’s experiences. Shame prohibited some from even speaking while it insidiously impeded others in their ability to address the violence. 

Flora Marcelo: It is my passion for understanding family violence that has inspired me to complete a PhD on domestic violence.  In my thesis, I am looking at the restraining order and how it systemically oppresses the women who use it. Prior to the PhD, I worked professionally and volunteered in various capacities within several government agencies to address family violence. These professional experiences, especially my work as a clinician and child protection advocate, allowed me to gain firsthand knowledge of society’s broad views and various responses to treating, preventing and intervening the numerous forms of family violence. As a PhD student, I have built on this experiential knowledge by refining and further developing my theoretical awareness of the very complex and interconnected systems surrounding family violence. My hope is to continuously build towards more effective paths to addressing domestic violence.

2.11

What’s Religion Got to Do with It? The Use of Religious Commitment and Spirituality in Interventions with Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators and Victims – Claire M. Renzetti, Ph.D.

Research on religious commitment indicates that it may play a significant role in reducing the risk of intimate partner violence perpetration by men.  In addition, women victimized by intimate partner violence report that religious commitment, faith, and spirituality figure prominently in their recovery from abuse and their resiliency.  Yet, many intervention programs for both perpetrators and victims neglect this dimension of social life and interaction.  This workshop will explore the potential use of various forms of religious commitment and spirituality in interventions with IPV perpetrators and victims, drawing on findings from empirical studies.  

Claire M. Renzetti is the Judi Conway Patton Endowed Chair in the Center for Research on Violence Against Women, and Professor of Sociology at the University of Kentucky. She is editor of the international, interdisciplinary journal, Violence Against Women; co-editor with Jeffrey Edleson of the Interpersonal Violence book series for Oxford University Press; and editor of the Gender, Crime and Law book series for Northeastern University Press. She has authored or edited 16 books as well as numerous book chapters and articles in professional journals. Much of her research has focused on the violent victimization experiences of socially and economically marginalized women. Her current research includes an ethnography of a faith-based organization involved in anti-trafficking work; a pilot study of NGOs in the United States that provide services to domestic sex trafficking victims; a national web-based survey examining the effects of religiosity on intimate relationship quality and conflict; and an empowerment education project with Women’s Justice Programs, in the Cook County (Chicago), IL Sheriff’s Office. Dr. Renzetti has held elected and appointed positions on the governing bodies of several national professional organizations, including the Society for the Study of Social Problems, the Eastern Sociological Society, and Alpha Kappa Delta, the sociological honors society. In 2009, the Women and Crime Division of the American Society of Criminology honored her with the Saltzman Award for Contributions to Practice, an award that recognizes a criminologist whose professional accomplishments have increased the quality of justice and the level of safety for women. She is also the 2011 recipient of the Lee Founders Award from the Society for the Study of Social Problems in recognition of significant lifetime achievements in research, teaching, and service leading to the betterment of human life.

Lunch

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

PM Workshops

2.12

Developing Response-Based emergency Protection Order Hearings: A Study of the NWT – Allan Wade, Linda Coates and Rebecca Latour

In 2005 the NWT passed the Prevention Against Family Violence Act (PAFVA), which, among other stipulations, allows people who have been subjected to violence to apply for an Emergency Protection Order (EPO).  This progressive response moves away from after-the-fact interventions, including complex and costly legal proceedings that too often reach no meaningful conclusion.  The GNWT commissioned our analysis of recorded hearings between the Court and EPO Applicants, as part of its larger review of the PAFVA.  These hearings document the charged moment when some of the most marginalized members of society meet the power of the state.  We present a summary of our analysis, with a focus on language and interviewing methods that invite accurate descriptions and full information and those that result in obscure and limited descriptions.

Bios to follow

2.13

The Earliest Warning Signs of Intimate Partner Violence – Stephanie Lang

Despite considerable research into domestic violence in general, little was known about the very earliest stages of relationships that eventually become violent—the period when things are “wonderful.” Understanding this period is an important aspect of preventing relationships from escalating into abusiveness.  Thus an extensive qualitative study (with non-violent comparison cases) was conducted for that purpose.

This presentation will provide an overview of the warning signs that emerged.  It is designed to prepare participants to help clients recognize such warning signs at a point in their relationships when they can effectively act upon them to prevent later violence.

The presentation includes visual and audio recordings of victims and perpetrators.  Participants will be able to teach clients to recognize both the negative warning signs and the seemingly "positive" ones (e.g. "He does it because he loves me so much). Participants will also explore the experience of being in the early stages of a relationship, and understand more why the partners are so intensely attracted to each other.

Stephanie Lang, Ph.D., is Director of Lang Consulting International, an organization specializing in providing consultancy and training in behavior analysis, abuse prediction and prevention.  Dr. Lang is an active researcher of the earliest warning signs of intimate partner violence. She's conducted over 150 interview hours comparing the earliest phases of relationships that turned violent, to those same phases in relationships that remained nonviolent.
She holds a B.S. in Biology from Trinity University, in San Antonio, Texas, and a Ph.D. in Family Psychology from Capella University, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dr. Lang's publications include Why Men Batter (Canadian Journal of Adlerian Psychology, 2006) and she appeared in a national television documentary about domestic violence, entitled Terror at Home: Domestic Violence in America. Dr. Lang has worked with women and men in both battering and sexual abuse populations.

2.14

Evaluating IPV Community Responses: The Niagara Region DV Report Card – Ian DeGeer and Anne Armstrong

In 2008, the Niagara Region Coalition to End Violence against Women (CEVAW) set out to understand how the issue of domestic violence was being responded to across the Niagara Region. In 2011 work began on the current Report Card entitled The Niagara Region Domestic Violence Report Card, 2010/2011: The System Matters. The current study is a mixed-methods research project examining service delivery and service use through the narratives of service users and service providers. The quantitative data presents a defined picture of the extent of the issue of domestic violence across the Niagara Region. The qualitative data involved interviews and focus groups with 23 women and 67 service providers from across the Niagara Region. The current report identified the importance of understanding the complexities associated with the system-based response to domestic violence. This session will present the major findings from this report. Topics will include understanding the experiences of rural women, experiences with police and child welfare services, the importance and challenges of providing services to men who abuse, the importance of collaboration and innovations in collaborative practices. Implications for research, policy and practice will be discussed. The Niagara Region Domestic Violence Report Card is available at www.CEVAW.com.

Ian DeGeer is a PhD candidate at Wilfrid Laurier University in the Faculty of Social Work and community-based researcher committed to ending violence against women. He is the lead researcher/author of the Niagara Region Domestic Violence Report Card. His award winning research in the Niagara Region has examined the response to domestic violence in the Niagara Region. Ian’s other areas of research have been in examining the use of strength-based therapeutic approaches to working with men who have abused their partners. Ian co-facilitated Partner Assault Response programs in both Ontario and British Columbia and has given keynote addresses to many community organizations regarding is work with men. In addition, Ian has been employed in several child welfare agencies, both as a supervisor and as a front-line worker. Ian’s current dissertation research is an institutional ethnography examining how risk socially constructs and shapes the collaborative processes that occur between child welfare services and violence against women agencies within a Family Justice Centre.

Anne Armstrong is the Executive Director of Gillian’s Place in St. Catharines. She has been the past chair of the Niagara Coalition to End Violence against Women and has been the driving force behind the Domestic Violence Report Cards in the Niagara Region.

2.15

How Technology Impacts Women’s Safety – Rhiannon Wong

While rapidly evolving technology can improve access to services for many women living with the effects of violence, it also elevates danger for women of domestic and sexual violence, stalking and harassment and provides more tools for stalkers and abusers to misuse.

In this workshop, an overview will be provided to participants about how technology can be misused to put women’s safety at risk, how technology benefits women and her children fleeing and/or living with the effects of violence and how can be incorporated into plans for their safety.

Rhiannon Wong is the Children and Youth Services Coordinator at the BC Society of Transition Houses.  Through her role, she supports 88 Children Who Witness Abuse (CWWA) Programs across British Columbia who provide prevention presentations, one-on-one support and group interventions to children and youth exposed to violence in the home. 

Since 2007, Rhiannon continues to integrate technology safety and data privacy issues into BCSTH’s work. She has incorporated technology safety examples into the Transition Housing and CWWA trainings, and presented for frontline anti-violence workers internationally.   She is currently working on the development of Safety Net Canada which will address how technology impacts women in order to increase safety, privacy, accessibility, self-determination and justice for victims of domestic and sexual violence, stalking and abuse.

2.16

Helping Employers, Supervisors, Union Reps and Workers Respond to IPV – Barb MacQuarrie

In 2005 nurse Lori Dupont was murdered on the job by a physician at Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital in Windsor, Ontario. She had previously ended a relationship with him. This tragic death awakened us to the fact that domestic violence is a workplace issue. Evidence collected from friends, family members and co-workers revealed many warning signs and risk factors. Recognizing them would have created oppportunities to intervene and offer protection for the  victim or accountability for the perpetrator. 

Annual Reports of the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee (DVDRC) indicate that In almost every case of domestic homicide, people around the victim knew what was going on – but didn’t know what to do about it. Reseach also shows that between 36 and 74% of employees suffering from domestic violence are victimized at work.

The Centre for Research & Education on Violence against Women & Children has used findings from the inquest and years of research conducted by the DVDRC to develop scenario based learning activities to help employers, supervisors and workers recognize and respond to domestic violence. The scenarios actively involve participants in problem solving and prepare them to apply new knowledge and skills to real life situations.

Barb MacQuarrie is the Community Director of the Centre for Research and Education on Violence against Women & Children in the Faculty of Education at the Western University. She promotes evidence based education and prevention initiatives involving both community-based and university- based partners.

She has been an advocate for survivors of violence and has worked to give voice to their experiences of violence as well as their experiences in system responses to violence. She has co-authored publications on workplace harassment, violence in the lives of girls, violence on college and university campuses and has written for local anti-violence organizations.

Barb is the executive producer of the video, “The Way Forward: Rethinking the problem of workplace sexual harassment” and an executive producer for the video, “Voices of Diversity: Creating a culture of safety, respect and belonging on campus.”

Barb manages the provincial Neighbours, Friends and Families public education campaign and the Make It Our Business workplace domestic violence training program. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support & Integration.

Barb is interested in how research can inform prevention of and responses to violence against women and girls.

2.17

Who’s Failing? Child Protection Work with Abused Women – Simon LaPierre and Isabelle Côté

Over the last three decades, feminist scholars and activists have voiced concerns regarding the child protection system’s inability to protect women and children living with domestic violence. Although domestic violence is now officially recognized as a child protection matter, research evidence suggests that there is a recurring pattern in child protection work; the workers tend to focus on the abused women’s perceived “failure” to protect their children, while giving limited attention to the male perpetrators. This workshop draws upon findings from two empirical studies, one involving child protection workers and managers, and the other involving women who have experienced domestic violence. A reflection on these studies demonstrates that the definition of domestic violence situations in terms of the women’s “failure to protect” remains the dominant pattern in child protection work, but as we will argue in our workshop, this pattern reflects an incomplete and inaccurate view of abused women’s mothering. The workshop then emphasizes practices where child protection workers have managed to avoid mother-blaming when working with these women. Indeed, research findings suggest that child protection workers can avoid mother-blaming when working with abused women, despite shortfalls in policies, procedures and resources.

Simon Lapierre, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in Social Work at the University of Ottawa, where he teaches courses on feminist practices as well as on the theoretical and methodological foundations of social work intervention. His research, conducted in both Canada and the United Kingdom, has focused on women's and children's experiences in the context of domestic violence, and has proposed a feminist perspective on policies and practices in this area. Simon is currently leading two studies funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, one investigating children’s and young’s people’s perspectives on domestic violence, and the other focusing on mother-child relationships in the aftermath of domestic violence.

Isabelle Côté is undertaking a Ph.D. in social work, at the University of Montreal. She recently graduated from the University of Ottawa, completing a Master degree in social work. Her thesis focussed on the experience of abused women who terminated a pregnancy in order to understand the decision-making process and the influence of domestic violence on the decision to end an unwanted pregnancy. Miss Côté is also the coordinator of two research project, both funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, titled “L’expérience et le point de vue d’enfants et d’adolescents exposés à la violence conjugale” and “Recherche-action visant le développement, l’implantation et l’évaluation de l’implantation d’un outil d’intervention facilitant la communication mère-enfant en contexte de violence conjugale”. Overall, her research focus on violence against women, domestic violence, abortion, and children exposure to domestic violence. Drawing upon qualitative methodologies, these research projects allowed her to meet victims and survivors of domestic violence in order to grasp the stories and underlying issues they’re facing. Isabelle Côté is also a member of a board of directors of a safe house in the Ottawa region.

2.18

Beyond Batterers: Exploring Roles for Men in Preventing and Reducing Violence Against Women and Girls – Todd Minerson

This interactive presentation will look at the many roles for men and boys in preventing and reducing gender-based violence through the lens and work of the WRC, as well as our partners around the world.  Program examples and the evidence base behind engaging men and boys as fathers, mentors and role models, bystanders, peer and near-peer educators will be covered. ISSUE BRIEF will be used as a guideline. The presentation will cover the theoretical rationale for the work based in the promotion of gender equality, and challenging the harmful aspects of masculinities that contribute to, and perpetuate violence against women and girls. Throughout the presentation, audience participation will be encouraged and discussion promoted.

Todd Minerson is the Executive Director of the White Ribbon Campaign (WRC).  WRC began in 1991 in Toronto, and is now the world’s largest effort of men and boys working to end violence against women and girls.  In 2011 WRC supported activities in every Canadian province and territory, and in addition supported activities in over 60 countries around the world. Mr. Minerson has presented to federal and provincial ministers, the United Nations, governments, police, communities and students around the world around engaging men and boys in the prevention of gender-based violence. In 2009, Mr. Minerson was recognized by the UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon as a member of his Network of Men Leaders to End Violence Against Women (http://endviolence.un.org/network.shtml), and in 2012 he was invited to sit on the inaugural UN Women Civil Society Advisory Group.   Mr. Minerson was also the principal author in 2011 of an Issue Brief commissioned by Status of Women Canada entitled Engaging Men and Boys to Prevent and Reduce Gender Based Violence (http://whiteribbon.ca/issuebrief/).

2.19

A Differential Response to the Intersection of IPV and Child Protection: The Safer Families Program – LaRee Walters-Boadway, Barbara Lee and Janet MacLean

The Safer Families Program is a collaboration between Catholic Family Services of Peel Dufferin (CFSPD), Family Services of Peel (FSP) and Peel Children’s Aid Society (PCAS). The Hadley Inquest’s 58 Recommendations sparked conversations between the above mentioned three agencies on the needs of children and families in Peel region who have been impacted by domestic violence.  As a result, the Safer Families Program began as a pilot project in 2003.  In 2006, the program received a fiscal based funding from Ministry of Children and Youth Services through their community capacity building funding. Every year, the Safer Families Program has continued to flourish and deliver service on this fiscally based funding stream. This workshop will discuss the program’s collaborative model as well as its strengths and challenges.  In 2010-11 the Safer Families Program received a research grant from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) that allowed the program to evaluate its effectiveness. Research results will be discussed.

Janet Maclean is a social worker.  She has worked for the Peel Children’s Aid Society for the past 10 years and has supervised the Safer Families program over the past 3 years. She is currently the supervisor of Peel CAS’s new specialized domestic violence team in the Parent and Child Capacity Building Branch. The specialized CAS DV is located in the Safe Centre of Peel (SCoP). SCoP is a centre where multiple, co-located agencies provide collaborative assistance for victims of violence and abuse.

Barbara Lee is a doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. Barbara Lee was a front-line child protection worker and research associate for the Safer Families program evaluation. Barbara Lee's area of research is with ethno-racial groups and their interaction with the child welfare system. She is particularly interested in child welfare decision-making, service provisions, risk and protective factors, child welfare placements, and recurrence.

LaRee Walters-Boadway is a social worker and registered couple and family therapist.  She has worked for Catholic Family Services for 14 years with a specialized focus on trauma and abuse. She is currently the manager of the Safer Families program and the Safe Centre of Peel.

2.20

One Stop for Whom? Questioning a Globalized “One-Stop Shopping: Service Model for Addressing Family Violence (Part A) – Nicole Peitsch

In 2002, the first “one stop shop” domestic violence service center opened in San Diego.  “The premise of the family justice centre model is simple,” Deputy City Attorney Casey Gwinn notes: “Victims of family violence...have an easier time receiving services if they only [have] to go one place to get all the necessary help”.

This presentation queries the effect of “one-stop shopping” models of frontline service for diverse survivors of domestic violence.  Increasingly, state response to gender-based violence promotes a “standardizing” of anti-violence practice and care.  Yet diverse and marginalized women’s experiences of gendered violence continue to challenge “the idea of a unitary or universal ‘women’s experience’” .  Indeed, different women experience violence – and systems meant to support survivors of violence − differently.

This presentation will:

• Identify how “one-stop shop” models promote a gender neutral representation of domestic violence, despite evidence that domestic and sexual violence continues to be experienced predominantly by women
• Query how “one-stop shop” models address the experiences and needs of women of color, poor women, and immigrant women
• Identify access barriers to undocumented immigrants, criminalized women, trafficked women, and women who choose not to engage with the criminal justice system
• Identify how such models systemically challenge safe spaces for advocacy

This innovative and controversial presentation challenges workers to integrate analysis for marginalized populations of women; and offers strategies for frontline, anti-oppression advocacy efforts. 

Nicole Pietsch is a counsellor-advocate with the Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services of Halton, and Coordinator of the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres. 

The Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC) works toward the prevention and eradication of sexual assault.  OCRCC’s membership includes sexual assault centres from across Ontario.  In 2010 and 2011, this Coalition lead the development of Ontario’s first ever provincial Sexual Violence Action Plan.

Since 1998, Nicole has assisted women and youth living with violence, including immigrant and refugee women and survivors of sexual violence. Recently, she has worked with youth survivors of violence who are incarcerated, those living in an institutional setting, and Deaf youth.

Her written work has appeared in York University’s Journal of the Association for Research on Mothering, and the University of Toronto’s Women’s Health and Urban Life.  In 2010, her essay, “I’m Not That Kind of Girl: White femininity, the Other, and the Legal/Social Sanctioning of Sexual Violence Against Racialized Women” appeared in Canadian Woman Studies/les cahiers de la femme.  Nicole’s review of how the media and legal system interpreted race and gender within the British Columbia’s Reena Virk case also appears in a collection published by Canadian Scholars Press.

Stories of Change in Men: A Collaborative Narrative Inquiry (Part B) – Yoshiyuki Takano and Ishu Ishiyama

Utilizing qualitative approach, this research examines  the process of change in men who were violent and abusive to their partners and children. The study attempts to deconstruct preconceptions of "change" and takes a dimensional ontological perspective (Frankl, 1988) to explore various dimensions of the experience of change. The results capture a concept of change in the individually unique metaphorical form of stories. Unlike the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model (Andrews, Bonta, & Hoge, 1990), this study’s participants’ change process involved multifaceted experiences of healing, redemption, learning, and striving. More importantly, their stories contain a series of their lived experience which describe their discourse, emerging themes, and explanations for their offending behaviour. The reformed offenders’ change process should not be limited only to a reinforcement process, but should also require engagement in a reflective process and internal transformation (Gondolf, 1987; Maruna, 2001) of an existential nature (Farrall, 2005; Gove, 1985). This study can inform clinicians how to effectively engage offenders.

Mr. Yoshi Takano is a clinical counselor in British Columbia and currently completing his Ph.D. in counseling psychology program at the University of British Columbia. He has been practicing for over 14 years working in the field of violence prevention and treatment. Mr. Yoshi Takano worked for the court mandated violence treatment program in BC as well as the forensic mental hospital to provide treatments and risk assessments. He has also been actively providing conference presentations, trainings, and numerous publications both locally and internationally. Mr. Yoshi Takano also served as a board member for Ending Relationship Abuse Society of BC for number of years.

2.21

Making Connections: When Domestic Violence, Mental Health and Substance Use Problems Co-Occur (Part A) – Robin Mason and Susan O’Rinn

Domestic violence (DV) has been a focus of research, policy development and changes to practice for several decades.  More recent, however, is the recognition that DV is often bound up with other complex and co-occurring issues, in particular substance use and mental health problems. Less is known about these interconnections and how best to support women who experience them. Our research, policies, and practices are all at an initial stage and it has been difficult to find published educational materials. Making Connections: When Domestic Violence, Mental Health and Substance Use Problems Co-Occur is an evidence-based, multi-modal curriculum designed to help frontline workers provide more effective support to women experiencing these co-occurring issues. The curriculum was developed with input from more than 300 individuals who participated in 14 regional cross-sectoral, round tables held across the province of Ontario. The format is novel and creatively employs multiple modalities to support access, engagement, and retention in learning. Our approach is collaborative – bringing together the three sectors to share knowledge, experiences and strategies to bridge the silos that negatively impact women seeking help for these problems. In this presentation we will outline the development process, content, and implementation strategy for the Making Connections curriculum.

Robin Mason is a Scientist at Women’s College Research Institute in the Violence and Health Research Program, as well as an Assistant Professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and in the Women’s Mental Health Program, Department of Psychiatry, at the University of Toronto. For the past twelve years, she has been studying intimate partner violence and abuse and the ways that health, social service, and community systems respond to women who experience these issues. As a result, she has participated in policy development at the local, provincial and national level, and from 2007 – 2009 served on Ontario’s Domestic Violence Advisory Committee, reviewing and providing recommendations on the provincial response to D.V.  She has spearheaded the development of education and training curricula for health care providers including paramedics, emergency physicians, and obstetricians and in so doing has reached thousands of students and practitioners. She is currently leading a project for frontline workers in social service settings on the complex interconnections among violence, mental health and substance misuse.

Susan O’Rinn has been the project coordinator on a number of initiatives focused on domestic violence and abuse. She is currently the coordinator for the Making Connections curriculum project. 

The Impact of Domestic Violence on Infants and Young Children (Part B) – Chaya Kulkarni and Angelique Jenney

It is a common misconception that infants and young children are minimally impacted by their experiences and their environment because they are unable to conceptualize these experiences through language or other cognitive means.  The issue of domestic violence (DV) and very young children is often ignored due to a set of erroneous beliefs:

• that such young children are not affected by the violence due to their level of emotional and cognitive development;
• that the needs of such young children cannot be adequately taken into consideration since they cannot express their own experiences, and;
• because the meaning of conflict to each individual child is considered highly subjective.  

Participants will gain an understanding of the impact of domestic violence on infants and young children and learn that:

• The development of young children is strongly impacted by their care giving environment.
• Children need caregivers to assist them in understanding and regulating their emotions in response to stressful life events.
• Exposure to domestic violence can have a detrimental impact on the cognitive and emotional development of infants and young children.
• Positive care giving experiences are the most ameliorative factor in helping a child overcome adversity in early childhood.

Dr. Chaya Kulkarni is Director of Infant Mental Health Promotion (IMHP), a professional coalition dedicated to promoting optimal mental health outcomes for infants, based out of The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.  Prior to joining IMHP Chaya was VP, Parent and Professional Education at Invest in Kids, and has also served as Senior Policy Analyst and Researcher for the Office of the Official Opposition, Queen’s Park.

Angelique Jenney, PhD, RSW is the Director of Family Violence Services for Child Development Institute, a multi-service child and family agency in Toronto.  Dr. Jenney has over 16 years experience working in intervention and prevention services within the violence against women and children’s mental health sectors. Dr. Jenney’s research and program development has been devoted to understanding and responding to the impact of violence in families.

2.22

Engaging Domestically Violent Men in Child Welfare – Susan Strega

Although there is much talk about the 'involved father' in popular culture, men (including birth/biological fathers, stepfathers, and men who provide emotional, financial or social support to children) continue to be curiously absent from most child protection work. In intimate partner violence situations, child protection systems commonly focus on victimized mothers rather than on domestically violent men. The result: increased danger for both women and children. This workshop demonstrates the significant negative consequences of current child welfare policies and practices in intimate partner violence situations. Alternatively, shifting focus from mothers to men has many positive possibilities. Strategies will be proposed for engaging more purposefully and constructively with men in a number of child protection contexts, including practice, policy and education. Drawing from recent research with fathers and with child protection workers, participants will explore how we can better protect women and children through direct engagement with men's violence - and with violent men.

Susan Strega is a long time feminist activist who currently she teaches in the School of Social Work at the University of Victoria where she is responsible for the Child Welfare Specialization. Susan is one of the co-editors of Failure to protect: Moving beyond gendered responses (Fernwood, 2012) and the co-editor, with Sohki Aski Esquao (Jeannine Carrière) of Walking this path together: Anti-racist and anti-oppressive child welfare practice (Fernwood 2009). She has conducted research with young mothers in care, fathers whose children are involved with child welfare, and sex workers and their families.

2.23

Media's Horrification and Pornification of Rural Culture – Walter DeKeseredy

The media play a key role in stereotyping as "ignorant and uncouth hillbillies" people who live in rural communities. As well, since the early 1970s, popular films frequently portray rural areas as angerous locations, places where urban people are at high risk of being savagely killed and tortured by pathological, in-bred locals without conscience or constraint. Further, with the advent of the Internet, rural women continue to be depicted in a degrading, highly sexualized manner and "gonzo" pornographic videos of them are widely and freely accessible. Heavily informed by feminist and cultural criminological modes of inquiry, this presentation offerss a content analysis of some rural horror films and pornographic videos. A key argument is that with the help of new information
technologies, these media are normalized, mainstreamed, and contribute to the horrification/pornification of rural culture, and by doing so, masking real issues about crime, violence, and gender relations in the rural context.

Walter S. DeKeseredy is Professor of Criminology at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). He has published 18 books and over 130 scientific journal articles and book chapters on violence against women and other social problems. In 2008, the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma gave him the Linda Saltzman Memorial Intimate Partner Violence Researcher Award. He also jointly received the 2004 Distinguished Scholar Award from the American Society of Criminology's (ASC) Division on Women and Crime and the 2007 inaugural UOIT Research Excellence Award. In 1995, he received the Critical Criminologist of the Year Award from the ASC’s Division on Critical Criminology (DCC) and in 2008 the DCC gave him the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Keynote

Blessed are the Peacemakers: Religiosity, Religious Self-control, and Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence
– Claire M. Renzetti, Ph.D.