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Happy New Year from the National Clearinghouse on Family Violence (NCFV)!
The NCFV E-Bulletin is a quarterly newsletter for those interested in family violence prevention. It is produced by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) on behalf of the Family Violence Initiative (FVI) of the Government of Canada.
We want to hear from you! Please send your comments and feedback to our editor at:
ncfv-cnivf@phac-aspc.gc.ca
Drawing the Connections between Family Violence and Homelessness
Research suggests that there are multiple connections between family violence and homelessness: family violence is a common feature in the histories of homeless people, and experiencing abuse is, for some, a cause of homelessness. For example:
- In a survey of youth shelters, conducted as part of an evaluation of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Shelter Enhancement Program, shelter staff estimated that 79% of their clients were homeless as a result of family violence.
- A study of homeless families in 10 major Canadian cities found that 40% of the 59 families interviewed specified family violence as being among the factors that caused them to leave their homes.
(Social Planning and Research Council of B.C.; Deborah Kraus & Paul Dowling. Family homelessness: Causes and solutions. Research Highlights Socio-economic Series #03-006. Ottawa: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 2003.)
(SPR Associates. Shelter enhancement program evaluation – youth component. Ottawa: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 2002.)
Family Violence and Homelessness: A Review of the Literature
The Public Health Agency of Canada uses the population health approach as a framework for action to improve the health status of the population. Key to this approach is that a range of individual and collective factors and conditions, including those outside of the health care system, influence one’s health and well-being.
Within this framework, abuse and housing/homelessness interact with and form part of the determinants of health. To advance our understanding of the multiple and complex connections between family violence and homelessness, the Family Violence Prevention Unit (PHAC) contracted Dr. Sylvia Novac to write a discussion paper. Dr. Novac is a research consultant on gender and housing issues and has published numerous papers on homelessness and victimization.
The publication, Family Violence and Homelessness: A Review of the Literature is among the recently released resources in the Clearinghouse collection. This literature review:
- considers the categories of homelessness identified in the literature and discusses the definitional challenges involved in researching this area;
- documents the changing demographic profile of the homeless population, specifically noting that women, families, youth and children are the “new” homeless;
- explores research which highlights that Aboriginal women experience a higher rate of both family violence and homelessness than non-Aboriginal women;
- reviews various studies in Canada and elsewhere that illustrate the connections between family violence and homelessness, including how the nature, severity and duration of childhood abuse relates to homelessness in adulthood;
- identifies the provision of safe and affordable housing as key to supporting women’s efforts to move out of and beyond the violence in their lives; and
- highlights the need for a multi-sectoral and innovative service response to homelessness.
If you would like to receive a free, hard copy of this publication, please visit the NCFV website, Family Violence publications section and use our shopping cart feature to place an order. For links to additional articles on family violence and homelessness, please visit the Homeless Hub – Canadian Homelessness Research Library at: http://www.homelesshub.ca/hh/default.cfm?incfile=hub
The NCFV offers over 130 publications, including overview papers, reports, discussion papers and handbooks on family violence issues. To preview our most recent publications, please see our What's New page.
NCFV publications are available free of charge, in hard copy or online, in English and French and in alternative formats. To order, please visit our Web site or contact us.
- An update of the popular Vancouver Incest and Sexual Abuse Centre Sexual Abuse Information Series, which includes titles such as When Your Partner has been Sexually Abused: A Guide for Partners and Sexual Abuse – What Happens When you Tell: A Guide for Children.
- A paper on the attitudes and opinions of Aboriginal women, and the professionals who work with them, on family violence, entitled Aboriginal Women and Family Violence.
The NCFV provides an extensive library reference collection, housed in the Health Canada Departmental Library. The following books may be borrowed through an interlibrary loan through your local public, academic or institutional library. Please contact the NCFV for more information or visit our Web site: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ncfv-cnivf/lib-eng.php
Resources on Family Violence and Homelessness:On her own: young women and homelessness in Canada, by Sylvia Novac et al, Ottawa: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 2002.
Available: http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/pubs/pubspr/0662318986/200203_0662318986_1_e.html
Between the cracks: homeless youth in Vancouver, by McCreary Centre Society (British Columbia), Burnaby: McCreary Centre Society, 2002, 65 p.
[Call no.: ncfv/HV4510.B8/B565/2002]
Available: http://www.ihpr.ubc.ca/media/McCreary2002.pdf
Common occurrence, the impact of homelessness on women's health, phase 2: community based action research (final report), by Kappel Ramji Consulting Group; Sistering (Toronto). Toronto: Sistering: Toronto Community Care Access Centre, 2002
Publisher's abstract: http://www.sistering.org/issues.html
Executive summary available: http://www.sistering.org/CommonOccurrenceExecSummary.pdf
Street Youth In Canada: Findings from Enhanced Surveillance of Canadian Street Youth, 1999-2003. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada, 2006, 56 p.
Available: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/std-mts/reports_06/youth_e.html
Housing discrimination against victims of domestic violence (Socio-economic Series 06-010), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Ottawa: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 2006, 4 p.
Available: https://www03.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/b2c/b2c/init.do?language=en&shop=Z01EN&areaID=0000000047&productID=00000000470000000024
The street lifestyle study, by Tullio Caputo, Richard Weiler & Jim Anderson
Ottawa: Public Works and Government Services Canada; Health Canada, 1997, 52 p.
[Call no.: ncfv/HV1441.C2/C255/1997]
The characteristics of abused women in the caseload of a child protection service, by Debbie Chiodo, Alan W. Leschied, Paul C., Whitehead & Dermot Hurley, London: University of Western Ontario, 2003, 28 p.
Available: http://www.edu.uwo.ca/CAS/pdf/Parental%20Violence%20july%2016.pdf
Lost in the shuffle: the impact of homelessness on children's education in Toronto: phase 3 report of the kid builders research project, by Ann Decter, Community Social Planning Council of Metropolitan Toronto, Aisling Discoveries Child and Family Centre Toronto: Community Social Planning Council of Metropolitan Toronto, 2007.
Available: http://www.socialplanningtoronto.org/KidBuildersPhase3%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf
Taking responsibility for homelessness: an action plan for Toronto, by Anne Golden et al. Toronto: Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force, 1998, 291 p.
Available: http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/pdf/homeless_action.pdf
Child abuse: a global view, by Michelle McCauley, Michelle A. Epstein & Beth M. Schwartz-Kenny. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2001, 273 p.
[Call no.: ncfv/HV6626.5/C536gl/2001]
No room of her own: a literature review on women and homelessness, by Sylvia Novac, Joyce Brown & Carmen Bourbonnais, Ottawa: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 1996, 51 p.
[Call no.: ncfv/HV4509/N935/1996].
Street kid: one adolescent's journey towards adulthood, 2nd ed. by Andrew C. Spowart,
St. Catharines, ON: Select Publishing, 1996, 106 p.
[Call no.: ncfv/HV875.58/S765/1996]
Social problems: a Canadian perspective, by Lorne J. Tepperman & Jame E. Curtis,
Oxford; Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2003, 472 p.
[Call no.: ncfv/HN103.5/T314/2003]
Publisher's abstract: http://www.oup.com/ca/isbn/0-19-542500-6
Effective practices in sheltering women: leaving violence in intimate relationships, by Leslie Tutty, Toronto: YWCA Canada, 2006, 108 p.
Available: http://www.ywca.ca/public_eng/advocacy/Shelter/YWCA_ShelterReport_EN.pdf
Homeless youth: an annotated bibliography, by Eva Veres & Tom Richardson,
Vancouver: McCreary Centre Society, 2002, 177 p.
[Call no.: ncfv/HV4502/B565/2002]
Handbook of empirical social work practice, volume 2: social problems and practice issues, by John S. Wodarski & Bruce A. Thyer. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 1998, 482 p.
[Call no.: ncfv/HV43/H236/1998]
Publisher's abstract: http://ca.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471654345.html
In collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada, the NCFV offers a vast collection of videos that address family violence. Videos may be borrowed through NFB partner public libraries across Canada or through an interlibrary loan through your local public, academic or institutional library. To obtain a complete list of videos, libraries and distributors, please contact us or vist our online video catalogue.
Recent additions to the Video Collection:
Thieves of Innocence
This powerful film from filmmaker/journalist Paul Arcand and producer Denise Robert explores the abuse children experience in youth protection programs. Thieves of Innocence depicts the dark side of the human heart and presents the victim’s endless struggle to break the cycle of silence and manipulation. (2005)
Wards of the Crown
At age 13, Andrée Cazabon was placed briefly in a group home. Marked by this experience, he decided to track four youths: Leaha, Andrew, Emily and Chantal for 10 months as they prepared to leave foster care. The result is Wards of the Crown, a stirring documentary about this little-known reality. (2005)
January 18 to 19, 2008 – 12th Annual Women’s Health Matters Forum & Expo 2008
http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/forum/
January 22 to 25, 2008 – Youth and Young Adults: Violence Risk Assessment, Prevention and Threat Management, San Diego, CA, USA
http://www.specializedtraining.com/events.php?cat=all
January 28 to February 1, 2008 – 22nd Annual San Diego International Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment, San Diego, CA, USA
http://www.chadwickcenter.org/conference.htm
January 31 to February 2, 2008 – The Early Years Conference – Valuing all Children, Vancouver, BC
http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Events/Upcoming/Vancouver200831-01Valuingallchildren.htm?Language=EN
February 7 to 8, 2008 – National Conference on Ending Family Homelessness 2008, Sheraton Seattle Hotel, Seattle, WA, USA
http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/calendar/detail/1775
February 25 to 27, 2008 – Communities Working Together to End Violence Against Women, Kitchener, ON
http://www.communitiesworkingtogether.ca/
March 12 to 14, 2008 – NW Parenting and Family Education Conference, Vancouver, BC
http://capps.wsu.edu/parenting/
March 16 to 19, 2008 – Banff 40th International Conferences on Behavioural Science - Effective Early Learning Programs: Research, Policy and Practice, Banff, AB
http://www.banffbehavsci.ubc.ca/
March 31 to April 2, 2008 – International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Stalking, New Orleans, LA, USA
http://www.evawintl.org/conferencedetail.aspx?confid=6
April 4 to 5, 2008 – Expanding Horizons for the Early Years 2008: Practice, Research and Promoting Change, Toronto, ON
http://www.sickkids.ca/imp/section.asp?s=Expanding+Horizons+Conference+2008&sID=13346
April 22 to 25, 2008 – 2008 Child Abuse Summit & Family Violence Conference, Portland, OR, USA http://www.childabusesummit.com/
May 12 to 14, 2008 – 2008 Joining Together: Changes and Challenges in Child Maltreatment, Calgary, AB
http://www.csicainfo.com/resource/File/CSICA_SAVE_THE_DATEFINAL.pdf
June 2 to 4, 2008 – 2008 Joint Conference Shoulder to Shoulder: Strengthening Partnerships for Positive Outcomes, Toronto, ON
http://www.oacas.org/conference/
July 7 to 9, 2008 – 8th International Looking After Children Conference: Transforming Lives - Improving Outcomes, Oxford, England
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ccfr/Transforminglivesconference/
July 18 to 23, 2008 – 13th National Conference on Domestic Violence and 30th Anniversary Celebration: Building Grassroots Leadership for Social Justice, Washington, DC, USA
http://www.ncadv.org
August 27 to 30, 2008 – 10th International Conference of the International Association for the Treatment of Sexual Offenders - Sexual Violence: Preventing through Offender Treatment and Public Policy, Cape Town, South Africa
http://www.iatso.org/08capetown/
September 7 to 10, 2008 – The XVIIth ISPCAN International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect: Towards A Caring and Non-Violent Community: A Child's Perspective, Hong Kong, China
http://www.ispcan.org/congress2008
September 8 to 11, 2008 – 1st World Conference for Women’s Shelters, Discovering the Common Core: Practical Frameworks for Change, Edmonton, AB
http://www.womenshelter.ca/home_en.php
October 5 to 8, 2008 – Seventh North American Conference on Shaken Baby Syndrome, Vancouver, BC
http://www.dontshake.org/Subject.aspx?CategoryID=32
October 20 to 23, 2008 – 17th International Safe Communities Conference, Christchurch, New Zealand
http://www.conference.co.nz/index.cfm/Iscc08/Welcome/
August 23 to 29, 2009 – 5th World Congress on Family Law and Children's Rights, Halifax, NS
http://www.lawrights.asn.au/
Homelessness Partnership Initiative, Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC)
The housing-first approach of the Homelessness Partnership Initiative (HPI) recognizes the importance of providing individuals with transitional and supportive housing. Afterwards, other supports can be instituted as required to improve one’s health, parenting, education and employment.
The HPI includes four components:
- Federal Horizontal Pilot Projects: HRSDC will mobilize federal departments to collaborate on corrections, mental health, family violence and immigration issues which may lead to homelessness.
- Designated Communities: Under this component, communities that have been identified as having a significant problem with homelessness can access multi-year funding (matched from other sources).
- Outreach Communities: Smaller cities, rural and outlying areas, including the North, are eligible for funding to support single projects to fill specific gaps in rural infrastructure to address homelessness.
- Aboriginal Communities: Under this component, partnerships with Aboriginal communities ensure that services meet the acute and unique needs of homeless Aboriginal people, whether in cities or rural areas.
For more information on the HPI, contact: http://homelessness.gc.ca/contact_us/index_e.asp#eform
Introducing Judie Bopp
Judie Bopp is a co-founder of Four Worlds International, and is currently a director of the Four Worlds Centre for Development Learning. Judie is well known for her expertise in culturally based and experiential learning, and has provided training, technical support and evaluation services to a range of groups, including ministries of national governments, non-governmental organizations, professional organizations and Indigenous communities.
Judie has served as principal or co-researcher on numerous research studies focussed on issues relating to family violence. For example, Judie was involved in writing the following reports:
- “Aboriginal Domestic Violence in Canada,” a national study on the root causes and impacts of Aboriginal family violence prepared for the Aboriginal Healing Foundation; and
- “Mapping the Healing Journey,” a manual and training program for community-based sexual abuse response teams.
Recently, she co-authored (with Michael Bopp) the book “Re-Creating the World: A Practical Guide to Building Sustainable Communities”. Also, and in partnership with Lyda Fuller of YWCA Yellowknife and other organizational partners, Judie completed a study of homelessness in the territories which was funded by the National Homelessness Initiative. The study, “You Just Blink and It Can Happen: A Study of Women’s Homelessness North of 60” was designed to:
- inform and improve the services provided by organizations and agencies across the North serving homeless women and those at risk of becoming homeless;
- inform public policy and territorial and regional program initiatives aimed at reducing homelessness and the negative impacts of homelessness among Northern women; and
- motivate community action to reduce homelessness and its negative impacts on Northern women.
Research Centre: YWCA – “Effective Practices in Sheltering Women Leaving Violence Intimate Relationships”
YWCA Canada is the largest women’s multi-service organization in the country with 36 Associations providing programs and services to women, teen girls and their families. The Association’s mission is to be a voice for women in Canada, one that brings about policy and legislative changes that reflect women's needs.
Addressing this mission involves working to prevent violence against women. To this end, the Association:
- publishes resources on support services for victims of violence as well as girl-focused programming;
- organizes public events and prevention initiatives to raise awareness; and
- engages in research to ensure optimum support to women.
The YWCA is currently working on a project to develop best practices and seamless delivery models in shelter services. As part of this project, the YWCA released the report “Effective Practices in Sheltering Women Leaving Violence Intimate Relationships” based on surveys of and interviews with women who had accessed shelter services. According to the report, women identified help finding housing as one of the three most important types of assistance they received from shelter. Also indicative of the connections between experiencing abuse and housing/homelessness, is that many women noted that a lack of housing was the reason that they returned to their abusive partner.
YWCA Canada has recently secured funding to undertake the third phase of this project, which involves developing a national policy paper.The theme of the NCFV’s March E-bulletin is Intimate Partner Violence Against Immigrant and Refugee Women.
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Content of the NCFV E-Bulletin is provided as an information-sharing service; inclusion does not represent endorsement by the PHAC or FVI member departments.
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National Clearinghouse on Family Violence: Telephone 1-800-267-1291 or (613) 957-2938; TTY 1-800-465-7735 or 613-952-6396; Fax (613) 941-8930; Web site http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/nc-cn; e-mail ncfv-cnivf@phac-aspc.gc.ca
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