Ottawa gives nearly $1.2M for P.E.I. programs to stop family violence

The federal government is givingnearly $1.2 million to two Island initiatives to address a rise in family violence across the country during the pandemic.

Kelly Peck, the provincial manager of Child Protection Services, said the pandemic has exacerbated family stress, resulting in an increased number of reports.

"From last year to this year, we've seen them go up by approximately 15 per cent," she said.

"ButI thinkthe more alarming piece is the severity of the cases we are seeing."

Recent cases, she said, have involved more violence, more injuries with even more vulnerable victims all of which require a greater level of intervention.

A project run through Child Protection Services that focuses on how to appropriately respond to high-risk situations of family violence, including training for child protection workers that will begin in May will receive more than $500,000.

Through the funding, the province will also launch the Caring Dads programthat Peck said aims to stop the cycle of family violence.

Free legal aid

Community Legal Informationwill receive more than $600,000over five years to expand its criminal and family law services to include victims of intimate partner violence through its RISE program.

Through that program the registered charity has been providing free legal resources to Islanders who have experienced workplace sexual harassment and sexual violence.

The program was launched two years ago, just as the pandemic began, and it has already helped more than 100 clients.

Program manager Sarah Dennis said the pandemic has added a layer of complication for victims who have been living with an abusive partner.

"We don't push people to see lawyers," she said.

"If they call us and at the end of the day, they don't want to see a lawyer, they don't want to report to police, we may be the only people that may hear these difficult stories."