Posts by Luke's Place
The future of criminalizing of coercive control
We’ve spent a lot of time engaged around the possible criminalization of coercive control over the last several years. Most recently, this involved appearing before Senate and House Committees and providing written briefs in their study of Bill C-332. However, with the recent prorogation of the federal government, that Bill has died. A recent article…
Read moreSupporting survivors is suicide prevention
September marks Suicide Prevention Month, a critical time to shed light on the often-overlooked connection between mental health, suicide, and intimate partner violence (IPV). The intersection of these issues underscores the urgent need for comprehensive mental health support for survivors of IPV, as well as a broader understanding of the strong link between suicidality and…
Read moreJudicial education on IPV should not be optional
As discussed in our blog posts over the last few weeks, we are spending time this month discussing the importance of judicial education on intimate partner violence (IPV). Keira’s Law was a giant leap forward on this issue, officially including IPV in the list of possible topics for judicial education in the governing legislation. It…
Read moreLegislation as a Result of Survivor Advocacy
Survivors have the power to create legal change – but should we have to? As September unfolds, and many of us and/or our children have returned to school, we want to remind judges that they, too, need to continue their education. Judicial education is often thought of in tandem with Keira’s Law. Next week, we…
Read moreCelebrating Disability Pride Month: Honouring Strength, Diversity and Community
Disability and Violence July is disability pride month. It is a time to celebrate the disabled community, while actively working to eradicate ableism and accessibility barriers. At Luke’s Place, we also recognize that people with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by all forms of gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence (IPV). Survivors of IPV with disabilities…
Read moreHonouring National Indigenous History Month and 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride Month
June is National Indigenous History Month and 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride Month. This month highlights the ongoing fight for liberation among First Nation, Inuit, and Metis communities and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. While these are sometimes viewed as separate fights for liberation, we recognize the ways in which our liberation is connected, and that systems of oppression and violence…
Read moreMandatory Reporting is Not a Prevention Strategy
A senate public Bill, Bill S-249, has passed its first two readings and is now with the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology for consideration. This Bill calls for the creation of a national strategy to address intimate partner violence (IPV). Included in this Bill is a provision that proposes that this national…
Read moreCall for a review of mandatory charging policies
Mandatory charging policies, introduced over 40 years ago, take the responsibility away from survivors for deciding whether to lay criminal charges in cases of intimate partner violence (IPV). Police are directed to lay charges where they believe there is a reasonable likelihood of conviction. The hope when these policies were first introduced was that they…
Read moreVictim or Survivor? Language matters
The language we use when we talk about gender-based violence (GBV) carries a lot of weight. We can cause harm and leave some people feeling excluded if we are not thoughtful about our use of language. How we talk about GBV can even reinforce patriarchal structures and rape culture. Whether to use the word “survivor”…
Read moreCase comment: Relocation to the United Arab Emirates
F. v. N. 2022 SCC 51 The mother and father lived in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) for nearly a decade with their two children, who are under the age of 5. Neither parent is a citizen of the UAE but the father has a residency permit which allowed him to sponsor the…
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