Kelowna’s new Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) has opened its doors to women, children and anyone in the community who needs urgent help to escape domestic violence.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton joined the City of Kelowna and members of the Kelowna RCMP and Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society, as the DVU team members were introduced today. The team includes RCMP domestic violence officers, a community-based victim service worker, and a Ministry of Children and Family Development child protection worker. They will work in the same office together, so that incoming cases are triaged right away and safety planning is well-coordinated for victims. 

In the highest risk cases of domestic violence, DVUs are widely recognized as a best practice for supporting victims and holding offenders accountable. DVUs protect victims who are at the greatest risk of violence, immediately connect them with resources, and get them to safety. This integrated approach to protecting victims is a lifeline for vulnerable women and families who face the significant potential for serious bodily harm or even death.

Government announced in March of this year that it would help fund the DVU as part of $1 million in civil forfeiture grants provided to support vulnerable and at-risk women through existing and new DVUs. Civil forfeiture funding is also supporting the development of new integrated units in Surrey and Nanaimo, as well the enhancement of existing units in Vancouver, New Westminster, Abbotsford and the Capital Region (Victoria).

Over the past year, government has taken significant action on domestic violence, including the launch of a three-year, $5.5-million Provincial Domestic Violence Plan and a commitment to the creation of a long-term, comprehensive strategy for a Violence Free B.C.

Quotes:

Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton -

“The people who work at this DVU are Kelowna’s newest lifeline. This team will provide an urgent, co-ordinated response to protect families in this community who are at risk or already victims of domestic violence and who need help now. We know these teams can, and do, save lives and they’re vital in our efforts to stop domestic violence in Kelowna, and across our province.”

Minister of Children and Family Development Stephanie Cadieux -

“The three-year Provincial Domestic Violence Plan clearly outlines the need to expand Domestic Violence Units throughout B.C. The team in Kelowna will help move the province one step closer to our commitment to make B.C. a safer place for women, children and anyone who has been affected by domestic violence - by making a difference for high-risk families, helping women and children remain safe, and holding offenders accountable.”

Deputy Mayor Maxine DeHart, City of

“The City of Kelowna is currently implementing a four-year police resourcing strategy, with 22 staff members being added by 2015. We recognize the Domestic Violence Unit as a critical service in protecting some of Kelowna’s most at-risk residents. The DVU will increase victim safety in our community. “

Superintendent Nick Romanchuk, officer in charge, Kelowna RCMP Regional Detachment -

“The Kelowna RCMP is very happy to be a part of the opening of the new embedded Domestic Violence Unit, located within the Kelowna detachment.  This unit will see the Elizabeth Fry Society as well as the Ministry of Children and Family Development working directly with the RCMP Domestic Violence Unit on highest risk cases, in order to enhance the coordinated approach that currently exists. We welcome our partner agencies into our office, and look forward to further enhancing our abilities to increase victim safety and offender accountability.”

Michelle Novakowski, executive director, Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society -

“We are very excited to be working together with our partners at the RCMP detachment and anticipate that this will make a big difference to the safety of women and children in Kelowna. I’d like to thank the Government of B.C., Superintendent Romanchuk, Corporal Fazan and the E Fry Community-Based Victim Service staff for working so hard to make this possible.”

Quick Facts:

• Today’s opening in Kelowna brings the existing number of domestic violence units in the province to five, with two more to follow in the near future.
• In March, the City of Kelowna received a $20,200 civil forfeiture grant on behalf of the RCMP to go towards this DVU in order to provide enhanced services to victims of domestic violence in Kelowna.
• The Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society received a $70,000 civil forfeiture grant for the provision of frontline victim services, training opportunities for DVU members and the development of protocols and procedures to guide the operational work of the DVU.
• Over $3.4 million in civil forfeiture proceeds are being used to support vulnerable women this year alone.
• Expanding the number of DVUs was one of the ministry-specific initiatives outlined in Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton’s mandate letter from Premier Christy Clark on June 10, 2013.
• Government provides more than $70 million per year for prevention and intervention services and programs to help B.C. families involved in domestic violence and other crimes.
• Government supports female victims of violence through more than 100 transition-house programs and over 400 victim-service and violence-against-women counselling and outreach programs.
• The Provincial Office of Domestic Violence (PODV) was created in March 2012 as the permanent lead for the B.C. government, focused on strengthening the services and supports available for children, women and families affected by domestic violence.

Learn More:

Help is available at any time to anyone who has been a victim of violence. Please call local police, 911 if it is an emergency, or VictimLink BC - a toll-free, confidential telephone service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in more than 110 languages at 1 800 563-0808: www.victimlinkbc.ca

Help for victims and witnesses of crime and violence: www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/victimservices

B.C.’s Civil Forfeiture Office: www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/civilforfeiture

Provincial Office of Domestic Violence: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/podv

Child abuse prevention helpline: www.safekidsbc.ca/helpline.htm

Media Contacts:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Justice
250 213-3602