In this analysis of the impacts of the Progressive Conservative government's budget cuts and policy initiatives on women and their children, OAITH raises several key points, including that the scope of core services for abused women has become too narrow, access to legal aid and other essential supports for women in the criminal and family justice systems has been significanlty reduced, supports and benefits like social assistance, housing and child care are even lower than prior inadequate levels, and programs and advances in training, anti-racims and anti-discrimination work, pay equity and other positive changes will suffer under the cuts. Women's access to shelters and the full range of services they need from them will be severely limited.
This report is from Phase 3 of a larger multi-phase system-change initiative of YWCA Canada launched in 2001 Beyond Shelter Walls. This phase focused on dialogue among key stakeholders at the national, provincial/territorial and community levels to identify concrete workable solutions towards real and lasting change. The report describes the emerging themes from these consultations, looking at key themes, starting with issues impacting women beyond shelter such as poverty, housing, legal issues, northern communities, and marginalized women.The main body of the report examines supports for women beyond shelters, including advocacy, training and prevention initiatives, promising practices in custody and access, healthy families, and mental health protocols. Recommendations for long term change are included based on the findings.
Report from the inquest into the death of 8 year old Jared Osidacz by his father, Andrew Osidacz. Julie Craven, the boy's mother, was also threatened during the incident, but police arrived and killed Andrew Osidacz. Andrew Osidacz had been an abusive husband to Julie Craven but was allowed unsupervised visits with Jared after they divorced.
On July 21. 2010, OAITH wrote to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Premier Dalton McGuinty over the unprecedented curtailment of civil liberties at the June 2010 G20 protests in Toronto. OAITH's Coordinator was one of the many peaceful protestors interrogated and subject to search of property without consent. The number of arrests. The number of arrests, appearance that there is lack of due process, and reports of raids on suspected organizer's sites are enough cause for concern that Canada call a full, independent inquiry to consider the impact of security measures on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, especially freedom of association, assembly, and expression.
In July 2003, OAITH responded to the proposed amendments to the Divorce Act to raise concerns specific to abused women and their children. Topics raised include: child custody issues, including lethality resulting from disputed access; continuation of abusive behaviour after separation or divorce; parenting orders (Section 16); best interests of the child; recognizing the concept of 'family violence'; improving and expediting access to the family law system when family violence is present; legal aid; and training and education of different service agencies involved in divorces and separations where family violence is present.
Jared's Place was founded by Julie Craven (a survivor of domestic violence herself) after her 8 year old son was murdered by his father on a supervised access visit (in 2006). Jared's Place is dedicated towards "systemic and policy change through research and advocacy". Julie speaks about her experiences and the failures of the criminal justice system and child protection services.