By Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
At the beginning of November, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the City of Saskatoon, in collaboration with the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), and the National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Incorporated (NICHI), announced the official opening of Aggie’s and Shirley’s House, a transformative new transitional housing development designed to provide safe, culturally appropriate support for Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals fleeing domestic violence.
On any given night in Canada, approximately 699 women and 236 accompanying children are turned away from domestic violence shelters across Canada because shelters are already full. Women and girls are more likely to experience ‘hidden homelessness’, exhausting all informal supports and resources before seeking formal services. (https://womenshomelessness.ca/women-girls-homelessness-in-canada/) In 2023, Saskatchewan had 29 shelters with a total of 608 beds. (https://www.clevercanadian.ca/latest-statistics-on-homelessness-canada/)
While women are more likely to experience intimate partner violence, this type of violence can affect an individual of any gender or gender identity, race, culture, age or income bracket. And it can occur at any point during a relationship or even after it has ended.
The federal government’s Budget 2025 proposes to fund $223.4 million over five years, with $44.7 million ongoing, to strengthen the federal action in response to gender-based violence (GBV). This will provide continuous funding through the Gender-Based Violence Program, for crisis hotlines, GBV research and the federal GBV Secretariat, to improve data collection and research efforts on GBV.
The Gender-Based Violence Program supports organizations addressing gaps in support for specific populations impacted by GBV, including:
– Women and girls
– Indigenous women and girls
– Black and racialized women
– Immigrant and refugee women
– 2SLGBTQI+ individuals
– Women with disabilities
– Women in Northern, rural, and remote communities
“This serious, long-term commitment will ensure constant progress towards equality and safety for women, for girls and for 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and I think for that, we should all be proud today. This is a moment in our nation’s history,” Champagne said at the announcement.
Everyone has the right to live without violence, yet many face it daily due to their sex, gender, or gender identity. Known as gender-based violence (GBV), it is a widespread and serious human rights violation. GBV can manifest as physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, and financial abuse, including technology-facilitated violence.
On November 6, the provincial government introduced The Cyberstalking and Coercive Control Act, which expands the definition of interpersonal violence in The Victims of Interpersonal Violence Act to include cyberstalking and online harassment, as well as coercive and controlling behaviour. Coercive control is any pattern of behaviour that aims to restrict a person’s freedom and undermine their sense of self. This can involve actions such as tightly controlling someone’s finances, denying them basic needs, closely monitoring their activities, and isolating them from family and friends.
The Victims of Interpersonal Violence Act provides protections for victims of interpersonal violence including emergency orders to restrict perpetrators from contacting victims and a process for ending long-term tenancies where a victim is at risk of future violence.
Justice Minister and Attorney General Tim McLeod, K.C., said of the changes, “Expanding the definition of interpersonal violence will provide more options to protect those experiencing abuse, and raise awareness about how these crimes are evolving through technologies like geo-location devices and cellphone monitoring software.”
The addition of cyberstalking and coercive and controlling behaviour to the legislation clearly identifies this conduct as a form of interpersonal violence and provides legislative support to victims when they are seeking help. Expanding the definition of interpersonal violence to include cyberstalking bolsters provisions found in the Criminal Code and specifically addresses instances where individuals attempt to use tracking devices to monitor an individual without their consent.
“Interpersonal violence takes many forms; it is not always physical or even visible,” Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Alana Ross said. “Abusers use coercive control to isolate people from support – cutting off family, friends, and finances – and it is often an early warning sign of more dangerous behaviours like physical abuse. Adding this to the legislation gives people another important tool to help prevent violence and escape abusive relationships.”
Saskatchewan has the unfortunate distinction of having the highest rate of domestic violence among the Canadian provinces. There is a growing awareness that cruelty to animals and violence to people are closely related. Studies have found that cruelty to animals is often both an indicator and a predictor of interpersonal, family and community violence. To address this concern, three provincial organizations, the Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS), the SaskSPCA, and STOPS to Violence, work collaboratively to address Saskatchewan’s high rates of domestic violence with an aim at ensuring safety for the whole family, including pets.
For many survivors of intimate partner violence, pets are not just animals; they are family members who provide comfort, companionship, and unconditional love during difficult times. Survivors often share a strong bond with their pets, which can serve as a significant source of strength and support, helping to alleviate feelings of loneliness and anxiety. Concerns about their pets’ safety can make it even more challenging for survivors to leave an abusive relationship, creating additional barriers to escaping their situation. To effectively support survivors, these challenges must be acknowledged and safety found for both themselves and their pets.
The event “Intimate Partner Violence, Animal Abuse, and Shelter,” hosted by the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children at Western University, emphasized the strong connection between these issues. A key finding revealed that 89 percent of women in domestic violence shelters reported their pets were mistreated, and 56 percent delayed leaving their abuser due to concerns for their pets’ safety. This underscores the significant impact of these issues.
(https://alternativesforwomen.org/a-hidden-barrier-to-safety-pets-and-intimate-partner-violence/)
The Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS) is the member association for agencies offering intimate partner violence services in Saskatchewan. Its members include women’s shelters, second-stage shelters, and counselling centres that support survivors of IPV. PATHS advocates for those affected by violence in the home and provides a unified voice to the media and legislators on related issues. PATHS envisions a society free from violence and aims to collaborate with members to promote research, program development, and education on interpersonal violence.
PATHS Director of Research Dr. Crystal Giesbrecht said, “Amending the definition will make provisions within provincial legislation to protect survivors of violence and abuse available to those experiencing coercive or controlling behaviour or online stalking and harassment.”
For additional information on Saskatchewan’s governmental programs, go to https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/justice-crime-and-the-law/victims-of-crime-and-abuse/interpersonal-violence-and-abuse-programs.