Advocates and survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) are escalating their demands to the P.E.I. Legislative Assembly, calling for a shift from reactive measures to systemic prevention.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Primary Demand: An “Epidemic” Declaration
A central pillar of current advocacy is the demand for the P.E.I. government to formally declare intimate partner violence an epidemic.
- The Goal: This designation would treat IPV as a public health crisis rather than a private legal matter, potentially unlocking emergency funding and prioritizing the issue in provincial budgeting.
Gaps in Current Protection
While the Victims of Family Violence Act currently allows for Emergency Protection Orders (EPOs), survivors argue the system remains flawed in three key areas:
- Housing Instability: Survivors often face the impossible choice between staying in a dangerous environment or entering a crowded shelter system.
- Judicial Gaps: There is a growing call for mandatory, intensive trauma-informed training for judges and police to ensure victims aren’t re-traumatized during legal proceedings.
- Legal Costs: While programs like RISE offer limited free legal advice, many survivors find the long-term costs of navigating family court to be a barrier to safety.
Current Government Actions
The P.E.I. government has pointed to several ongoing initiatives as part of their response:
- The $300,000 Prevention Grant: Recently launched to fund community-led education and support projects.
- National Action Plan: Implementation of federal-provincial funding aimed at improving collaborative case reviews for sexual assault and domestic violence.
The Bottom Line
The message from survivors to MLAs is clear: Existing laws are a safety net, but they aren’t a shield. The push is now for “upstream” solutions—prevention, education, and guaranteed housing—to ensure that protection starts before a crisis occurs.
