SURREY – The BC government says it has a long term plan to stop violence against women and make the province a domestic free place for women.
The new Violence Free BC (VFBC) strategy lays out a long-term vision
of ending violence against women in this province – something that needs both
strong government leadership and the active participation of stakeholders,
partners and each and every British Columbian, it says.
The Province’s action on this goal starts with a promise of dedicated
civil forfeiture funds – including $3 million in 2015 – for local anti-
violence support services, the opening of a newly integrated Domestic
Violence Unit (DVU), and an upcoming campaign to raise awareness of the
dangers women can face. The Province is also committed to dedicating a
portion of civil forfeiture funds to support the VFBC strategy in future
years.
“Violence against women is not a women’s issue – it’s an issue for all of us
in British Columbia,” said Premier Christy Clark. “The Violence Free BC
strategy is our roadmap to creating a province where each of us does our
part, working together, to keep women safe from harm.”
Last year’s throne speech promised a concrete plan toward ending domestic
violence, and the VFBC strategy is delivering on that promise. It combines
immediate actions with a long-term vision, and identifies five key priorities
for moving toward a violence-free B.C. over the next decade. These include:
* Challenging beliefs and behaviours.
* Ensuring services are responsive, innovative and co-ordinated.
* Supporting women to rebuild their lives.
* Addressing violence against Aboriginal women.
* Fostering strong relationships and new partnerships.
“We all have critically important and shared roles to play in preventing
violence before it starts, responding to violence when it happens, and
rebuilding from its devastating effects. Fundamentally, stopping the violence
starts with all of us,” said Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne
Anton. “Recent incidents have highlighted the need for ongoing work to
address violence against women. This includes higher-profile cases of
domestic violence, which have received much attention in communities
throughout B.C. Today, we are able to take specific action on that issue with
the opening of a newly integrated Domestic Violence Unit here in Surrey.”
The Surrey DVU is the sixth of its kind in British Columbia, and brings
together, in one location, Surrey RCMP police investigators, community-based
victim services, and a Ministry of Children and Family Development child
protection worker to co-ordinate and collaborate on the highest-risk domestic
violence cases.
“This newly integrated Domestic Violence Unit is something our community has
been working towards for a long time,” said Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner. “With
the creation of this unit, we will now be better able to respond to the
highest-risk domestic violence cases and provide an integrated approach to
supporting victims and holding offenders accountable.”
Government will also launch a public-awareness campaign in the near future
with a focus on domestic violence, to educate and encourage everyone to share
the responsibility of stopping violence against women.
“To make a difference in the lives of women in Surrey and around the province
– and particularly those women who are being abused by their partners – it is
critical we have the proper supports in place,” said Sonya Boyce, executive
director of the Surrey Women’s Centre Society. “Raising awareness, opening a
local Domestic Violence Unit and funding anti-violence and prevention
initiatives are concrete steps that government is taking in the right
direction.”
“This enhancement to our Domestic Violence Unit will be a lifeline for Surrey
families who are most at risk of being harmed by violence,” said Officer in
Charge of the Surrey RCMP, Chief Superintendent Bill Fordy. “Our officers
will work side-by-side with support workers, and together they’ll co-ordinate
the investigation of cases and the support of victims who need to be brought
to safety, often immediately.”
