Our recent submission to Legal Aid Ontario

In December, Luke’s Place participated in Legal Aid Ontario’s (LAO) open consultation process on their proposal is to increase the financial eligibility criteria for all duty counsel and criminal certificate services. While we strongly support an increase to the financial eligibility criteria, we implored LAO to extend this financial eligibility increase to their family law…

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Be the change before the year ends – donate by midnight!

As the year comes to a close, there’s still time to help women and children across Ontario access the support they need to find safety, justice, and empowerment after leaving abuse. Your donation today, December 31, can help ensure that in 2025: Together, we can make a difference. Every donation counts! Thanks to YOU, countless…

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Criminalization of coercive control: shifting the focus to system change before implementation

Last week, Luke’s Place submitted a Brief to the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs on Bill C-332, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (coercive control of intimate partner). This Brief reflects our decades of experience supporting survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) and navigating the intersections of the family law and…

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There’s still time to make a big difference in the lives of women and children this year!

Thanks to YOU… Ontario women were able to access the support they needed for their family law issues and receive important information about ongoing changes to court operations over the last year. This means that more women had a better understanding of their legal rights, the family court process, and their legal issues. Women were more empowered to speak in…

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Case summary: Parenting time decision

The applicant father brought a motion for an order granting him unsupervised parenting time with the two children, who were 4 and 8 years old. The respondent mother, who was unrepresented, opposed this motion. As she had from the time of separation, she offered supervised parenting time in a supervised access centre as the appropriate…

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Case summary: Important relocation decision

The Ontario Court of Appeal (ONCA) recently released a decision (Shipton v. Shipton) overturning a trial court decision that had prohibited a mother from relocating from Ontario to Ireland with her young child. The decision offers some helpful insights into what is required for an appeal court to overturn a decision from a lower court…

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After leaving: Managing post-separation abuse

What is post-separation abuse? Many people believe that when a woman leaves an abusive partner, the abuse will end. Sadly, this is rarely the case. As a couple separates, the abuser may not want to give up their power and control. In fact, the period leading up to and up to two years post-separation are…

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For immediate release: Community Walk to End Intimate Partner Violence Set for September 21 at Durham Region Headquarters

Durham, Ontario – August 6, 2024 – Bethesda House, The Denise House, Herizon House, YWCA Durham, Safety Network Durham, Luke’s Place, Victim Services of Durham, WMRCC of Durham, and the Region of Durham are proud to announce the upcoming Community Walk to End Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), which will take place on Saturday, September 21st…

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Case summary: Parental alienation and reunification therapy

This case summary was prepared by Pamela Cross. In this case, Justice Sullivan comprehensively reviewed the evidence, law and case law in making an order that the 14-year-old son be required to participate in reunification therapy, against his wishes, largely because she believed the father had influenced the child to such an extent that his…

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