Intimate Partner Violence

Research and Recommendations

“We Hear You” A call for caring co-action to improve services for women experiencing intimate partner violence

Women with lived experience with intimate partner violence sat down with our research team and shared their experiences, insights, and suggestions for change. We are extremely grateful to these women for their courage, strength, and their willingness to share and be part of this research project. We are committed to honouring their truths and working to reduce the stigma associated with intimate partner violence and improving intimate partner violence service provision in the territory. Many organizations and individuals have supported and provided input into our research project. We would like to extend an additional thank you to NWT women’s organizations, supportive Elders, and the social justice community for providing input and guidance. We would also like to thank the NWT Department of Justice, Department of Health and Social Services, and the RCMP for providing relevant information and supporting this research project. Research of this nature truly requires an entire community, or in our case, a territory working together. Thank you to Women and Gender Equality Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories for providing the financial resources to conduct this research.

The contents of this report are solely the responsibility of the Status of Women Council of the Northwest Territories and do not necessarily represent the official views of our funders.

Recommendations Report

This report honours the truths shared with us by women who have experienced intimate partner violence in regard to the services, system, and stigma they have experienced. Our twenty-one (21) recommendations for action honour these truths and reflect thirty (30) years of working with and advocating on behalf of women to address gender-based violence and advance equality. Caring collaboration, adequate resources, better communication, and adopting trauma-and violence informed approaches are central to our recommendations and to making the necessary changes to improve services for women experiencing intimate partner violence.

Workbook

The Status of Women Council of the Northwest Territories believes no single entity, group, or individual alone can improve the services available nor reduce the stigma associated with experiencing intimate partner violence. This workbook is designed to encourage reflection to help groups identify what they can do personally, professionally, organizationally, or institutionally to improve services for women experiencing intimate partner violence.

21 recommendations

We know that caring collaboration cannot merely be a tagline or a dream; instead, it must become the reality in the Northwest Territories. Here are twenty-one (21) recommendations for everyone to consider to make this a reality in our territory.

Video

This 5 minute video is designed to create greater awareness and understanding of intimate partner violence as a means of addressing victim blaming and shaming. This video may also inspire you, your organization, or community to collaborate and take action to improve services for women with lived experience of intimate partner violence, through their own words.

This project has been funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada.