Fact Sheet:

Family Violence Initiative (Justice Component)

Introduction

The objective of the Family Violence Initiative (FVI) is to prevent and reduce the occurrence of family violence in Canada. The FVI is an ongoing federal commitment to a long-term societal problem with a multitude of social, justice, and health dimensions. Twelve federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations take part in this Initiative.

The Department of Justice Canada's mandate in relation to the FVI is to improve the criminal justice system's response to family violence. Departmental activities in this area include policy development and law reform; research; project funding; and public legal education and information (PLEI).

Project funding is used to support:

• Innovative pilot projects and activities to inform criminal law and policy development and implementation as well as the identification of best practices /models to reduce the problem and effects of family violence; and
  
• Public Legal Education and Information (PLEI) efforts to promote public access to family violence information, to promote public awareness of the factors contributing to family violence, and to advance public involvement in the responses to family violence.

Examples of innovative pilot projects and activities that could be funded include:

• Assessment of the criminal justice system's and professionals' responses to family violence;
  
• Development of new strategies, models and tools to facilitate service and program delivery to family violence victims in crisis;
  
• Development and implementation of support for child victims/witnesses of family violence in the criminal justice process;
  
• Development of resource tools, for intermediaries and service providers, related to family violence, including those in hard to reach communities such as rural and Aboriginal communities; and
  
• Development of information and resources relating to family violence to meet the needs of vulnerable groups such as older adults, people with disabilities, and immigrants.

Examples of PLEI activities that could be funded include:

• Development of information materials and information sessions addressing PLEI needs of vulnerable and hard to reach communities related to family violence;
  
• Revision, reprint and dissemination of existing PLEI materials;
  
• Assessment of PLEI materials and activities in the area of family violence;
  
• Updating and translation of family violence PLEI materials into additional languages

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for project funding, applicants must submit a proposal using the application form that is provided in the Kit and available on the Web site, project proposals must be consistent with the FVI objective and meet one or more of the following objectives:

• To enhance knowledge, promote development, and inform Canadians and the legal community about family violence issues;
  
• To promote access to justice, equality and human rights in Canada by supporting:
  
  • consultations, research, and partnerships;
    
  • development and dissemination of information; and
    
  • development, testing and implementation of new cost-effective, multi-disciplinary approaches, models and pilot projects regarding the administration and delivery of services, to victims of family violence;
    
• To promote the development and implementation of legislative and socio-legal reforms;
  
• To support the development, testing and implementation of innovative program options, new and multi-disciplinary approaches and models in regard to community involvement and protection from family violence.

Other Considerations: Please consult the section "Other Considerations" in the Justice Partnership and Innovation Fund's information sheet in the Kit for additional information.

Note: As funds are limited, it is not possible to fund all projects that meet the eligibility criteria. Projects that demonstrate that they can best meet the information needs of the Department will be given priority consideration.

For further information, you can:

1) Phone the program manager at (613) 952-5616
2) Fax us at (613) 941-2269
3) Send us an e-mail at: fv-vf@justice.gc.ca
4) Visit our website at: http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/pb/index.html
5) Or write to us at:

Programs Branch
Department of Justice
284 Wellington Street, 6th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H8