Violence against women is a serious social problem that cuts across all segments of society. This violence takes many forms, including:
Violence against women takes place in homes, workplaces, schools, institutions, and community settings, and it puts children who are exposed to it at greater risk of developmental, behavioural and emotional difficulties later in life. Violence affects women of all age groups, cultures, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.
Ontario is determined to do more to protect women and children from domestic violence. Women and children have the right to live free from fear of violence in their homes and in their communities.
That’s why the Government of Ontario, on December 13, 2004, announced the Domestic Violence Action Plan (DVAP). The plan was developed following extensive consultations and reflects input from 30 roundtable meetings involving 180 experts and stakeholder representatives as well as front-line workers. The DVAP is a four-year, $68 million action plan that involves 13 provincial ministries, including the Ministry of Community and Social Services, advocacy groups, corporations, charitable foundations, community organizations, educational institutions, neighbours, friends and families.
The plan includes:
- better community supports;
- training for front-line workers and professionals;
- public education and prevention initiatives; and
- improvements to Ontario’s criminal and family justice system.
By working together, Ontario can better protect and support women and children now and reduce domestic violence over the long term.
The Ministry of Community and Social Services is working hard to strengthen community services for victims of domestic violence by:
- Allocating $2 million in funding increases for women’s shelters and second-stage housing programs. (See news release dated February 7, 2006.)
- Strengthening local community service coordination by investing $1.5 million in each of 2005-2006, 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 and then $800,000 per year beginning in 2008-2009 in Domestic Violence Community Coordination Committees and a new provincial domestic violence advisory council to improve services for women and children escaping abuse. (See news release dated December 7, 2005.)
- Investing $3.5 million from the DVAP to support capacity building projects to help women’s agencies promote organizational growth and development. (See news release dated November 28, 2005.)
- Investing an additional $1 million to the Transitional and Housing Support Program to provide counselling and support services targeted to women residing in new capital units to be developed under the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program. (See news released dated November 9, 2005.)
- Partnering with other levels of government to expand Toronto-area services for women and children fleeing abuse. (See news release dated October 27, 2005.)
- Boosting funding to women’s agencies by $2.5 million to strengthen their counselling support services for francophone women, rural and aboriginal women, women with disabilities and those from diverse cultural backgrounds, as well as for children who have been exposed to violence at home. (See news released dated August 25, 2005.)
- Providing a $1.9 million grant to enable Kingston’s Interval House to relocate to a larger facility which will help an additional 100 women each year. (See news release dated June 2, 2005.)
- Providing a one-time investment of $2 million to refurbish women’s shelters and second-stage housing. (See news release dated March 8, 2005.)
- Providing funding of $500,000 to train social housing providers on issues facing abused women. (See news released dated December 13, 2004.)