Fact Sheet:
Family Violence Initiative (Justice Component)

Introduction

The Family Violence Initiative (FVI) is a Government of Canada commitment to address family violence in Canada. Fifteen 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 review, research and reform criminal justice legislation and policy; fund community-based family violence projects and provide public legal education and information support regarding family violence.

Project funding is used to support:

• The development, implementation, testing and assessment of models, strategies and tools to improve the criminal justice system’s response to family violence; and
• Public Legal Education and Information (PLEI) efforts to raise public awareness on family violence, and to encourage public involvement in responding to family violence.

Examples of 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 improve service/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 family violence resource tools for service providers, including those in hard-to-reach communities such as rural and Aboriginal communities; and
• Development of information, strategies and tools for easier access to services relating to family violence to meet the needs of vulnerable groups, such as older adults, people with disabilities, immigrants, etc.

Examples of PLEI activities that could be funded include:

• Development of information materials and information sessions related to family violence addressing PLEI needs of vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities;
• Revision, reprint and distribution 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 more 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 distribution of information; and
  • development, testing and implementation of new cost-effective, multi-disciplinary approaches, models and pilot projects on 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 for 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 resources 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 Senior Program Analyst 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