tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26419657109611960652024-02-08T10:01:41.991-08:00Family Law NetworkInformation, media, resources & eventsMental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-12468156368262511702020-07-02T19:08:00.002-07:002020-07-02T19:08:51.424-07:00Multiple Wills Allowed in BC: Ian Mulgrew: Where there's multiple wills there's always a way to dodge taxes<h1 class="article-title" id="articleTitle" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; line-height: 2.75rem; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ian Mulgrew: Where there's multiple wills there's always a way to dodge taxes</span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(July 2, 2020). <i>Vancouver Sun</i>. Retrieved from: <a href="https://vancouversun.com/news/ian-mulgrew-where-theres-multiple-wills-theres-always-a-way-to-dodge-taxes/wcm/f47e547a-d525-42a8-ab4d-796946cb9490/">https://vancouversun.com/news/ian-mulgrew-where-theres-multiple-wills-theres-always-a-way-to-dodge-taxes/wcm/f47e547a-d525-42a8-ab4d-796946cb9490/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">COVID-19, death, taxes and money-laundering merged for me when discussing my own meager estate in the face of the pandemic: My lawyer quipped I’d only need one will!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Who knew you could have a couple of wills, skip the taxes and obscure the transfer of ownership in assets in a province where money-laundering has been front-and-centre in recent years?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yet, it remains legal in B.C. to use multiple wills and avoid death duties — probate fees of 1.4 per cent over and above the first $25,000 on property and businesses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This legitimate legerdemain was unexpectedly exposed three years ago during the transfer of ownership in a lucrative egg farm in Kelowna.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I figured they would have closed the loophole.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tyler Hooper, a justice ministry public affairs officer, however, confirmed multiple wills remain legal and probate is not necess“It is up to third parties whether they wish to accept an un-probated will or if they wish to require a grant of probate before they will transfer assets into the control of a personal representative,” Hooper said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The loophole has its roots in two Ontario cases and an English decision involving two wills, one signed in the U.K. the other in America, from 1876!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The strategy is to sequester assets you want to protect and not have taxed in one will, while the remaining assets are placed in another to be probated and assessed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This dodge surfaced in B.C. when Norman Frank Berkner, a widower, decided to transfer his eponymous Kelowna farming firm to his only heir, daughter Shelley Dorothea, by signing two wills in 2016.ary for a will to be invoked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The trick is that even though it is not probated, a will can be used to transfer shares and other valuable assets avoiding considerable taxes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The “primary will” covered assets that required probate to be transferred, while the second covered other assets including Berkner Egg Farms Ltd.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">B.C. Supreme Court Master, now Justice Steven Wilson approved the tax-avoidance mechanism in his <a href="https://www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/sc/17/06/2017BCSC0619.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">2017 decision</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He allowed Shelley to probate only the primary will without including the valuable farm assets in the second, which Wilson said did not need to be probated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But how can the ownership of valuable shares held in a private company, clearly assets of an individual’s estate, be given to a new owner and probate fees avoided?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wilson said it was not uncommon for people with assets in multiple jurisdictions to have multiple wills, but we’re talking about a single jurisdiction here — and the current 2009 Wills, Estates and Succession Act doesn’t help.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The two Ontario cases, each involving two wills — only one of which was to be probated — both cited the hoary English case known as “Astor, In the Goods of” as justification for the practice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Astor — which supported a testator’s wish to deal with his American and English property in separate wills — remained good law, Wilson said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That needs to be changed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While property in different jurisdictions with different laws might justify more than one will, that’s not the issue — this is all about transactions and financial activity within this province.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In B.C., the Business Corporations Act allows a personal representative, such as an executor, to transfer the deceased’s shares in a privately held company — a grant of probate is not necessary; a declaration of transmission, an original share certificate and the will are sufficient authority.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hooper insisted that multiple wills were simply an estate-planning mechanism.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“A trust is in some ways superior to the multiple-wills strategy, because unlike the multiple wills strategy, where the shares do form part of the estate and are vulnerable to a will variation application, trust assets are transferred outside of the estate and therefore are both shielded from probate fees and protected from will variation applications,” he explained.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Trusts, however, are on the mandate of the money-laundering inquiry because of the way they are used to mask beneficial ownership, along with shell companies. Add wills. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ontario has moved to a probate-review practice aimed at meeting the concern of the Canadian Revenue Agency but B.C. Attorney General David Eby apparently isn’t impressed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“The results have been criticized by the bar in Ontario as ineffective — i.e. the cost of auditing financial disclosures in probate application is far more than any extra fees collected because of the audits,” spokesperson Hooper maintained.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“In addition, law firms practicing in the area of estate planning advised that they had seen an increase in their planning business (and specifically use of trusts) to avoid the scrutiny of Ontario’s probate auditors. The conclusion was that the government effort cost more than it recovered and appeared (at least in the short-term) to simply increase lawyers tax/estate planning fees.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With the pandemic spurring many of us to make sure we have a will, be assured the wealthy consider this manoeuvre and the huge tax savings it entails.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is no legitimate reason all of the true assets of an estate should not be probated and applicable taxes applied — and it’s sure not the government’s job to offer the affluent new ways of tax avoidance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The government is moving to create financial transparency in real estate and corporate ownership — why not fix this loophole?</span></div>
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<a href="mailto:imulgrew@postmedia.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">imulgrew@postmedia.com</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://twitter.com/ianmulgrew" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">twitter.com/ianmulgrew</span></a></div>
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Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-47427677042771674192017-02-04T08:47:00.000-08:002017-02-04T08:47:10.791-08:00International custody battles: Precedent setting custody decision by BC court <h1 class="story-title">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-court-awards-taiwanese-father-custody-of-his-daughter-1.3967100" target="_blank">B.C. court awards Taiwanese father custody of his daughter</a></span></h1>
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<h3 class="story-deck">
<span style="font-size: small;">Judge in international abduction case says there was 'wrongful removal of the child from Taiwan'</span></h3>
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<div>
<span class="spaced">Eric Rankin (</span>Feb 04, 2017). <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/cbc-news-online-news-staff-list-1.1294364">CBC News</a>. Retrieved from: <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-court-awards-taiwanese-father-custody-of-his-daughter-1.3967100">http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-court-awards-taiwanese-father-custody-of-his-daughter-1.3967100</a>.</div>
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A Taiwanese man who tracked his abducted daughter to B.C. has now won
full custody of the eight year old girl — more than five years after
she was spirited here by her mother.<br />
<br />
Chen was elated but emotionally cautious when he spoke to CBC News moments after the B.C. Supreme court decision late Friday.<br />
<br />
"I have to stay calm. I can't cry again because I cry too much already" said Chen. "I have to be strong for my daughter."<br />
<br />
A B.C. Supreme Court ruling last week gave Chen temporary custody of
the little girl. The pair had a tearful reunion at Vancouver
International Airport on Jan. 26.<br />
<br />
The girl — whose name is being withheld by the CBC — met her father
and older brother for the first time since she was three years old.<br />
<br />
Chen's lawyer calls the latest B.C. Supreme Court decision awarding
him permanent custody "precedent setting," and says it could influence
similar legal cases involving future international child abductions.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Long legal battle</h2>
Lyndon Chen, 50, had been fighting for the child's return since 2011.
That's when his ex-wife ran off with their son and daughter from their
home in Taiwan.<br />
<br />
She first fled to Hong Kong — where Chen was able to regain custody of his son.<br />
But the mother then took their daughter to B.C.<br />
<br />
Chen didn't give up. In his homeland of Taiwan, he fought a long
legal battle for the return of the girl. Last year, a court there
finally granted him sole custody of his daughter.<br />
<br />
But Chen still had to find her in B.C.— and convince the courts here that the child should be returned to him.<br />
<br />
Now B.C. Supreme Court Justice Nathan Smith has done just that.<br />
<br />
<h2>
'Wrongful removal of the child'</h2>
In his oral judgement, rendered late Friday, Judge Smith stated "it's
clear to me there was wrongful removal of the child from Taiwan".<br />
<br />
Complicating the case, however, was the fact that Taiwan's status as a
country is disputed internationally, and as a result it's not a
signatory to articles of the Hague Convention which govern parental
child abductions.<br />
<br />
For Judge Smith, however, the case revolved around an affidavit filed
by the mother, Hsin-Chen Shu, also known as Sin-Chen Chang and
Yun-Syuan Shu.<br />
<br />
In her sworn statement, she didn't take issue with the Taiwanese
court proceedings and admitted she had taken the child in violation of
court orders there.<br />
<br />
"Essentially the child was removed from Taiwan without the consent of
one of the parents and she remains in B.C. in violation of a Taiwanese
court order" said Judge Smith.<br />
<br />
"There's no evidence before me that it would be contrary to public policy to respect the order of the Taiwanese court."<br />
<br />
Judge Smith says Chen can soon return with the child to Taiwan.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Seven day delay</h2>
<br />
But there's a complication. The B.C. Supreme Court justice also
delayed implementation of that order for seven days, to allow the
ex-wife time to file an appeal, meaning the battle for the child may be
far from over.<br />
<br />
Still, Chen says he's willing to share his daughter.<br />
<br />
"She can see her mother, she can talk to her mother whenever she
wants … she can talk to her brother. I think that every child should
have that chance."<br />
<br />
Hsin-Chen Shu will be allowed to see her daughter for a few hours on
weekends while they remain in Canada — but the courts have taken
measures to ensure she doesn't once again flee with the child.<br />
<br />
"(Her) passport has been surrendered and the child's passport has
been surrendered" says Lyndon Chen's lawyer, Leena Yousefi. "(The)
visitation will have to be supervised by somebody to ensure that the
child is not taken away."<br />
<br />
<h2>
'Case sets precedents'</h2>
<br />
Yousefi also says the B.C. Supreme Court decision to honour a Taiwanese court order, breaks new ground.<br />
<br />
"This case absolutely sets precedents for British Columbia and laws
relating to non-Hague countries and … wrongful (child) removals."<br />
<br />
Lyndon Chen is still trying to absorb the fact he finally has his daughter back in his life after five years.<br />
<br />
"I can't believe it's true. It's (been) true in my dreams many times already, but I can't imagine it's true now."<br />
<br />
Hsin-Chen Shu declined CBC requests for an interview.</div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-70189205052587514562017-01-22T09:53:00.002-08:002017-01-22T09:53:33.399-08:00UK judges change court rules on child contact for violent fathers <h1 class="content__headline js-score" itemprop="headline">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jan/20/uk-judges-change-court-rules-on-child-contact-for-violent-fathers-domestic-abuse" target="_blank">UK judges change court rules on child contact for violent fathers</a></span></h1>
<h1 class="content__headline js-score" itemprop="headline">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: small;">Reforms aim to end presumption that a father must have contact with a child when there is evidence of domestic abuse</span></h1>
<h1 class="content__headline js-score" itemprop="headline">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Laville, S. (20 January 2017). The Guardian. Retrieved from: </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jan/20/uk-judges-change-court-rules-on-child-contact-for-violent-fathers-domestic-abuse">https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jan/20/uk-judges-change-court-rules-on-child-contact-for-violent-fathers-domestic-abuse</a></span></span></h1>
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Senior judges are taking steps to end the presumption that a father
must have contact with a child where there is evidence of domestic abuse
that would put the child or mother at risk.<br />
<br />
The reforms are to be introduced in the family courts after
campaigning by the charity Women’s Aid, which identified that 19
children have been killed in the last 10 years by their violent fathers
after being given contact with them by judges.<br />
<br />
The changes include a demand from one of the most senior family court
judges for all the judiciary to have further training on domestic
violence and to act to ensure women and children are protected.<br />
<br />
Mr Justice Cobb announced the changes on Friday after talks with Women’s Aid, and following <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/dec/22/revealed-how-family-courts-allow-abusers-to-torment-their-victims">concerns raised in a Guardian investigation</a>. <br />
<br />
Cobb said: “It is indeed most disturbing to note that for at least 12
children [in seven families], of the 19 children killed … contact with
the perpetrator [the father] was arranged through the family courts.<br />
<br />
“For six families, this contact was arranged in family court hearings
[two of these were interim orders], and for one family, contact was
decided as part of the arrangements for a non-molestation order and
occupational order.”<br />
<br />
Since its report on the child murders last year, Women’s Aid has
identified another case in which a child was murdered by a father after
being given contact via the family court. The charity is presenting
their updated report to the prime minister in Downing Street on Monday.<br />
<br />
Cobb also called for an <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/dec/30/family-courts-sir-james-munby-domestic-abuse-victims">end to the cross-examination of domestic violence victims by alleged perpetrators</a>
in court hearings, a practice banned in the criminal court. He said
there needed to be “decisive action to cure this deeply unsatisfactory
situation”. <br />
<br />
Cobb’s reforms were endorsed on Friday by the President of the
family division, Sir James Munby, who praised both Women’s Aid and the
“hard hitting articles in the Guardian” for highlighting the issues.<br />
<br />
The changes are contained in amendments to judicial guidance known as
practice direction 12J. A key change announced by Cobb was that the
presumption in the family court that there should be “contact at all
costs” with both parents would be scrapped. He said it should be
excluded in domestic violence cases where involvement of a parent in a
child’s life would place the child or other parent at risk of harm.<br />
<br />
He also said judges needed to be more alert to perpetrators of
domestic violence using the courts as a way to continue their abuse.
“Family court judges should be sure that they understand the new offence
of coercion [controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family
relationship],” he said.<br />
<br />
Cobb called for judges to be more alert to how violent men could use
the access within the courts to assault their former partners, putting
forward a proposal for courts to consider more carefully the waiting
arrangements before a hearing, and arrangements for entering and exiting
the court building.<br />
<br />
Munby pointed out that austerity measures had impacted on courts’
ability to protect vulnerable witnesses. He said in his own court in the
Royal Courts of Justice in London there was no safe waiting room and no
video link.<br />
<br />
“The problem, of course, is one of resources, and responsibility lies
… ultimately with ministers. More, much more, needs to be done to bring
the family courts up to an acceptable standard, indeed to match the
facilities and ‘kit’ available in the crown court,” said Munby.<br />
<br />
In his report on Friday, Cobb said it was essential that family court judges used the practice direction as it had been amended.<br />
<br />
“By this report, I wish to highlight the concerns raised by Rights of
Women, Women’s Aid … I hope that positive steps can now be taken to
address in the family court the problem, long since addressed in the
criminal court, of the alleged victims of domestic abuse being directly
questioned by their unrepresented alleged abusers.”<br />
<br />
Polly Neate, director of Women’s Aid, welcomed the changes. She said:
“There should never be a presumption of contact where one parent is
known to be a perpetrator of domestic abuse, as is made clear today.<br />
<br />
“We urge the Family Procedure Rule Committee, and lord chancellor and
secretary of state for justice, Liz Truss MP, to agree the new practice
direction, with all of the changes set out by Mr Justice Cobb, without
delay.”<br />
<br />
The Ministry of Justice has indicated – following the articles in the
Guardian and questions in parliament – that it is going to change the
law to <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jan/04/truss-orders-review-to-ban-abusers-tormenting-victims-in-family-courts">enforce a ban on direct cross-examination</a>.</div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-61474494929759204142016-09-18T09:54:00.001-07:002016-09-18T09:54:29.270-07:00Litigation Harassment, Spousal Violence and Child Abuse<h1 class="content__headline js-score" itemprop="headline">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/sep/15/mps-call-for-end-to-abusive-men-using-courts-against-families" target="_blank">MPs call for end to abusive men using courts against families</a></span></h1>
<div>
<b><span style="color: blue;">Government urged to review family court system which is ‘allowing men to re-traumatise women and children’</span></b></div>
<div>
Laville, S. (Sept. 15, 2016). <i>The Guardian.</i> Retrieved from: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/sep/15/mps-call-for-end-to-abusive-men-using-courts-against-families">https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/sep/15/mps-call-for-end-to-abusive-men-using-courts-against-families</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The government must carry out a full review of family courts to stop
them being used by violent men to perpetuate abuse against their
partners and children, MPs have said.<br />
<br />
They called on the justice secretary, Liz Truss, to act swiftly to
tackle deep-seated cultural attitudes among family court judges which
put the rights of abusive men over the safety of women and children.<br />
<br />
MPs were debating <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.womensaid.org.uk/launch-of-nineteen-child-homicides-report-child-first-campaign/">research by Women’s Aid</a>
which revealed that between 2005 and 2015, 19 children in 12 families
were killed by violent fathers who had been allowed to see them through
formal and informal child contact arrangements.<br />
<br />
The debate focused on many personal stories of women who had been
subjected to violence and coercive control by their partners, only to
have to face them again in the family courts when the men fought for
child contact.<br />
<br />
MPs said the family court system was allowing violent men to
re-victimise women. Increasing numbers of men were representing
themselves and re-traumatising their victims when they made repeated and
often spurious applications for access, they said.<br />
<br />
Peter Kyle, the Labour MP for Hove, said: “The family courts are
being used to perpetrate abuse against extremely vulnerable women … One
of my constituents has been cross-examined by her former partner on
three separate occasions, the man who beat her, broke her bones and
battered her unconscious.”<br />
<br />
He said a transformation of family courts was “desperately needed” to
end the “abuse and brutalisation of women” via the legal system.<br />
<br />
Angela Smith, the Labour MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, raised
the case of her constituent Claire Throssell and her children, Jack, 12,
and Paul, nine, as Throssell watched from the public gallery. <br />
<br />
Throssell’s estranged partner, Darren Sykes, a perpetrator of domestic violence who had threatened her and his children, <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" draggable="true" href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/jun/22/murdered-boys-mother-speaks-out-after-ellie-butler-case">murdered both boys during a contact visit</a>
to his home in 2014 by enticing them to the loft with a new train set.
He then set 16 fires in the house and barricaded the home.<br />
<br />
He had been given contact by the family court despite the
authorities’ knowledge of his violence and the children’s expressed fear
of their father.<br />
<br />
Smith read Throssell’s own words to MPs: “It took just 15 minutes on
22 October 2014 for my life and heart to be broken completely beyond
repair. My happy, funny boys were killed by their own father … The
police later told me that Jack was still conscious when he was carried
out and he told them: ‘My dad did this and he did it on purpose.’ This
was taken as his dying testimony.”<br />
<br />
Paul died in his mother’s arms in hospital, while Jack lived for another five days, MPs were told. Sykes died in the fire.<br />
<br />
Smith said the family courts needed to properly implement “practice
guidance 12 J”, which is supposed to force judges to put the safety of
children and their residential parent before the access rights of a
violent and abusive parent.<br />
<br />
She highlighted the demands in the Women’s Aid report for an end to
the cross-examination of a survivor by an abuser in family courts, and
for special protection to be brought in, such as separate waiting areas,
to keep victims safe from violent partners in court buildings.<br />
<br />
Smith said there was a need both to end the assumption that men who
were abusive to women could be good fathers, and to embed a culture in
the family courts of putting children first.<br />
<br />
“These changes are critical if we are to make sure this never happens
again,” Smith said in reference to the Throssell case. “For Claire’s
sake and for the sake of vulnerable women, we need the government to
send out a clear message by agreeing to act. Jack and Paul must not be
forgotten.”<br />
<br />
MPs also urged the government to respond to the all-party
parliamentary group’s report on domestic abuse, child contact and the
family courts, which said the courts needed to ensure there was safe
child contact, not contact at any cost.'<br />
<br />
Gill Furniss, the Labour MP for Sheffield, Brightside and
Hillsborough, said: “I urge the minister to instigate a full review
based on the Women’s Aid report and the APPG findings … because we must
ensure that Jack and Paul and all other victims are never forgotten.”<br />
<br />
Keir Starmer, the former director of public prosecutions and Labour
MP for Holborn and St Pancras, said it was important to look at the
changes made to the criminal justice system to better protect victims of
domestic violence – including special measures for victims and
witnesses, and the presence of independent abuse advocates – and ask why
the family courts were not making similar changes. <br />
<br />
He said there was growing evidence that perpetrators of domestic
abuse were using the family courts to continue to harass and control
their victims. <br />
<br />
Phillip Lee, the parliamentary undersecretary of state for victims,
youth and family justice, said the government was not complacent. “I
think it is fair to say the family court system can learn valuable
lessons from the criminal justice system.” <br />
<br />
He said the government was studying the research by the APPG on domestic violence extremely carefully. </div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-78036073785249229462016-08-19T15:00:00.000-07:002016-08-19T15:00:08.612-07:00Financial Abuse: Almost one in five UK adults suffer 'financial abuse', survey finds<h1 class="content__headline js-score" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-weight: normal; line-height: 2.5rem; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 2.25rem; padding-top: 0.375rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/dec/10/almost-one-five-uk-adults-suffer-financial-abuse" target="_blank">Almost one in five UK adults suffer 'financial abuse', survey finds</a></span></h1>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">Campaign by Co-op bank and charity Refuge aims to raise awareness of issue whereby one partner controls or exploits the other’s finances</span></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">Osborne, H. (10 December 2015). <i>The Guardian</i>. Retrieved from: </span><span style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/dec/10/almost-one-five-uk-adults-suffer-financial-abuse">https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/dec/10/almost-one-five-uk-adults-suffer-financial-abuse</a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Almost one in five UK adults have suffered control or exploitation of their finances by a partner, according to a report published to launch a campaign against “financial abuse”.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A survey of more than 4,000 people found that 18% had been a victim of financial abuse in a current or former relationship, and that a third of those affected had never told anyone what was happening. Half of the victims said a partner had made significant financial decisions without consulting them, or forced them to ask permission to spend or show evidence of having done so.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Six in 10 of those reporting abuse were female, although victims spanned all gender, age and income groups. For women reporting experience of the problem, the abuse tended to start at key life stages: 71% said it was when they moved in with a partner, 75% said it was when they got married, and 30% when they had children. Among men the figures were 28%, 25% and 30% respectively.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The research, commissioned by Co-operative Bank and the domestic violence charity <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" href="http://www.refuge.org.uk/" style="background: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; color: #005689; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none !important; transition: border-color 0.15s ease-out;">Refuge</a>, marks the start of a campaign by the two organisations to raise awareness of the issue and encourage financial institutions to better support victims.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Refuge said it had seen cases where victims were forced to provide receipts for all spending, or given such small allowances that they could not afford to buy food for themselves and their children. One victim quoted in the report said they had been “utterly entrapped, financially trapped. You look back on it and think well why would you do that? It’s so hard to explain it, it’s so subtle I suppose.” Another admitted: “I felt abused but I would never have said it was abuse because I didn’t think it was valid – because he hadn’t hit me.”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The My Money, My Life campaign wants the government to support an industry-wide agreement to identify and address banking practices that fail to help victims of financial abuse in relationships.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Co-op bank said victims of financial abuse were often unable to open bank accounts post-separation because they did not have the right ID, and that some paper-based account management processes put people at risk of being found by partners they were trying to escape.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sandra Horley, chief executive of Refuge, said: <strong tabindex="-1">“</strong>For women who report that they have experienced financial abuse, money can be a matter of life and death. It can mean the difference between being trapped with a violent and dangerous abuser, or escaping to a place of safety.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Financial abuse is a form of <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/domestic-violence" style="background: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; color: #005689; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none !important; transition: border-color 0.15s ease-out;">domestic violence</a> and the consequences of this type of abuse can be both devastating and long-lasting.”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sarah Pennells, the founder of money website <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" draggable="true" href="http://savvywoman.co.uk/" style="background: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; color: #005689; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none !important; transition: border-color 0.15s ease-out;">SavvyWoman.co.uk</a>, said she had heard from dozens of women whose partners had run up debts on joint accounts when the relationship was ending or forged their signature and left them with thousands of pounds of debt.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Financial abuse is a real problem and one that many banks are reluctant to recognise,” she said. “There are steps that banks can and should take, such as changing a joint account so that both partners have to agree to any money being taken out or an overdraft extended, but all too often they don’t offer to help.”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Co-op bank said it would work with other banks to develop a code of practice for financial institutions so there was a consistent response to the disclosure of financial abuse, develop awareness-raising materials for customers, and train staff to respond appropriately and refer customers to specialist support.</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Guardian Egyptian Web, Guardian Text Egyptian Web, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-70662979319289028812016-08-19T14:55:00.001-07:002016-08-19T14:55:31.750-07:00UK: Controlling or coercive domestic abuse to risk five-year prison term<h1 class="content__headline js-score" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 2.5rem; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 2.25rem; padding-top: 0.375rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/dec/29/domestic-abuse-law-controlling-coercive-behaviour" target="_blank">Controlling or coercive domestic abuse to risk five-year prison term</a></span></h1>
<h1 class="content__headline js-score" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.5rem; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 2.25rem; padding-top: 0.375rem;">
<span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">CPS given new powers to bring charges if evidence is found of repeated offences within intimate or family relationships</span></span></h1>
<h1 class="content__headline js-score" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.5rem; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 2.25rem; padding-top: 0.375rem;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bowcott, O. (2016). <i>The Guardian</i>. Retrieved from</span><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;">: </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/dec/29/domestic-abuse-law-controlling-coercive-behaviour">https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/dec/29/domestic-abuse-law-controlling-coercive-behaviour</a></span></span></h1>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Coercive or controlling domestic abuse becomes a crime punishable by up to five years in prison from Tuesday, even if it stops short of physical violence.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Crown Prosecution Service’s new powers have been introduced as Citizens Advice reports a steep rise in the number of victims seeking help over the past year.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The charity said it had supported more than 5,400 people suffering from domestic abuse in the 12 months to October 2015, including 3,000 cases of emotional abuse and 900 <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" draggable="true" href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/dec/10/almost-one-five-uk-adults-suffer-financial-abuse" style="background: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; color: #005689; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none !important; transition: border-color 0.15s ease-out;">of financial abuse</a>.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The new legislation will enable the <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/crown-prosecution-service" style="background: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; color: #005689; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none !important; transition: border-color 0.15s ease-out;">CPS</a> to bring charges where there is evidence of repeated, or continuous, controlling or coercive behaviour within an intimate or family relationship.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The CPS said abuse can include a pattern of threats, humiliation and intimidation, or behaviour such as stopping a partner socialising, controlling their social media accounts, surveillance through apps or dictating what they wear.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Controlling or coercive behaviour is defined under section 76 of the Serious <a class="u-underline" data-component="auto-linked-tag" data-link-name="auto-linked-tag" href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk/ukcrime" style="background: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; color: #005689; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none !important; transition: border-color 0.15s ease-out;">Crime</a>Act 2015 as causing someone to fear that violence will be used against them on at least two occasions, or generating serious alarm or distress that has a substantial effect on their usual day-to-day activities.</span></div>
<aside class="element element-rich-link element--thumbnail element-rich-link--upgraded" data-component="rich-link" data-link-name="rich-link-2 | 1" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; float: left; line-height: 24px; margin: 0.3125rem 1.25rem 0.75rem -15rem; width: 13.75rem;"><div class="rich-link tone-comment--item " style="background-color: #efefec; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; position: relative;">
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<div class="rich-link__header" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.5rem; min-height: 2.25rem; padding: 0.25rem 0.3125rem 0.75rem;">
<h1 class="rich-link__title" style="font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="inline-quote inline-icon " style="fill: rgb(118, 118, 118);"><svg class="inline-quote__svg inline-icon__svg" height="10" viewbox="0 0 33 20" width="17"><path d="M9.002 20c3.85.068 6.932-3.104 7-6.994.068-3.892-3.15-6.937-7-7.006-2.016-.036-3.59.694-4.888 2.053-.07-.48-.122-1.04-.113-1.553C4.065 2.97 7.415.937 11.004 1l-1-1C3.98 0 .098 4.447.003 10.006c-.098 5.557 3.35 9.892 9 9.994zm17 0c3.85.068 6.932-3.104 7-6.994.068-3.892-3.15-6.937-7-7.006-2.016-.036-3.59.694-4.888 2.053-.07-.48-.122-1.04-.113-1.553.064-3.53 3.414-5.563 7.003-5.5l-1-1c-6.022 0-9.904 4.447-10 10.006-.097 5.557 3.35 9.892 9 9.994z"></path></svg> </span><a class="rich-link__link" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background: transparent; color: inherit; cursor: pointer;">At last, a domestic violence law that shines a light on coercive control</a></span></h1>
<div class="rich-link__byline" style="color: #e6711b; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding-right: 1.25rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kate Bailey</span></div>
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<a class="rich-link__link u-faux-block-link__overlay" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/28/domestic-violence-law-coercive-control-abuse-partners-courts" style="background: transparent; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; left: 0px; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 200%; top: 0px; white-space: nowrap; z-index: 2;"></a></div>
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</aside><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The new law is likely to generate complex challenges over precisely what constitutes criminal behaviour. The director of public prosecutions, Alison Saunders, said: “Controlling or coercive behaviour can limit victims’ basic human rights, such as their freedom of movement and their independence.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“This behaviour can be incredibly harmful in an abusive relationship where one person holds more power than the other, even if on the face of it, this behaviour might seem playful, innocuous or loving.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Victims can be frightened of the repercussions of not abiding by someone else’s rules. Often they fear that violence will be used against them, or suffer from extreme psychological and emotional abuse.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Being subjected to repeated humiliation, intimidation or subordination can be as harmful as physical abuse, with many victims stating that trauma from psychological abuse had a more lasting impact than physical abuse.”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cases can be heard in magistrates or crown courts, and the maximum sentence is five years imprisonment. Evidence can include emails, GPS tracking devices installed on mobile phones, bank records, witness statements from family and friends and evidence of isolation.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Polly Neate, the chief executive of Women’s Aid, said: “Coercive control is at the heart of domestic abuse. Perpetrators will usually start abusing their victim by limiting her personal freedoms, monitoring her every move and stripping away her control of her life; physical violence often comes later.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Women’s Aid and other organisations campaigned to have this recognised in law, and we are thrilled that this has now happened. It is a landmark moment in the UK’s approach to domestic abuse, and must be accompanied by comprehensive professional training and awareness raising among the public.”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Louisa Rolfe, the temporary deputy chief constable of Avon and Somerset police and the national police lead on domestic abuse, said: “We have seen a substantial increase in reporting nationally with greater understanding of all forms of abuse, not just physical violence.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“The new domestic abuse offence ... is another tool to help the police service and CPS prosecute perpetrators of domestic abuse and protect victims. It will provide more opportunities to evidence other forms of domestic abuse, beyond physical violence. Not only will this encourage more victims to report, we hope, but also the concerned family and friends of victims.”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The College of Policing’s head of crime and criminal justice, David Tucker, said: “The new offence of coercive control presents challenges. It demands much fuller understanding of events that led up to a call for assistance and this can make evidence gathering more complex. However, more importantly, it delivers greater opportunities to safeguard victims and achieve successful prosecutions.”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">According to Citizens Advice, 1,500 people sought help for domestic abuse between July and September 2015, a rise of 24% on the same period in the previous year.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Gillian Guy, the organisation’s chief executive, said: “Perpetrators are using coercive control to trap victims in abusive relationships.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“More and more people are coming to Citizens Advice because they are experiencing abuse by a partner or loved one, including restrictions on accessing their own money, forcing them to take on debts and spying on them online.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“The government’s change in the law making coercive control a criminal offence is an important step forward in protecting victims of domestic abuse and helping them find a way out.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“It is also important that the government continues to consider whether victims of all forms of abuse are able to get the support they need, including through the justice system and legal aid.”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Figures from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary show the number of domestic abuse cases reported to the police in England and Wales rose by 31% between 2013 and 2015.</span></div>
</div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-58028416840813143392016-04-13T17:40:00.002-07:002016-04-13T17:40:15.796-07:00MyLawBC.com: New web resource for legal issues in BC<h1 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; letter-spacing: 1.5px; line-height: 56px; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/ian-mulgrew-legal-self-help-finally-arriving-in-b-c" target="_blank">Ian Mulgrew: Legal self-help finally arriving in B.C.</a></span></h1>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Ian Mulgrew (<span style="color: #555555; line-height: 18px;">April 13, 2016). <i>Vancouver Sun</i>. Retrieved from: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #555555; line-height: 18px;">http://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/ian-mulgrew-legal-self-help-finally-arriving-in-b-c</span></span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The B.C. <a href="http://www.legalaid.bc.ca/" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; color: black; cursor: pointer; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Legal Services Society</a> has established a do-it-yourself website that will help ordinary, middle-class people — not just the poor — solve legal problems.</span></div>
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Need a will? Missed a mortgage payment? How about a separation agreement, divorce or family orders? </div>
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The new site, <a href="http://www.mylawbc.com/" style="border: 0px; color: black; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">MyLawBC</a>, provides free tools and solutions for everyday legal problems ranging from family violence to the powers of attorney — a remedy for sky-high legal fees and mazelike court procedures.</div>
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“More Canadians believe aliens have visited the Earth than believe the justice system is fair,” noted Mark Benton, CEO of the society.</div>
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The site, he said, is an attempt to empower B.C. residents to accomplish legal tasks on their own by providing reliable online help via up-to-date information, links, downloadable worksheets, documents and plans.</div>
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“My partner was looking at this and while I was doing the dishes she announced she had finished the separation agreement,” Benton joked.</div>
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It’s a profoundly different and uniquely accessible way of helping people.</div>
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“It isn’t aimed specifically at middle-class people — that’s a spillover effect,” explained Sherry MacLennan, director of the society’s public legal education and information services. “Many issues are shared by people regardless of the socio-economic status.”</div>
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Citing figures that a five-day trial costs roughly $60,000 and average legal fees are $365 an hour, she said: “Who can afford that? Not many.” </div>
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A “soft launch” of the site occurred Feb. 29 and it has been running while bugs are fixed and small improvements made in the software. Already 1,900 people have tried it. The “official” launch will be in May.</div>
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“I think we were on the cutting edge, it’s an evolution that’s happening and it’s an important cultural change that’s happening,” MacLennan said. “It’s an evolution from systems designed to support the inside stakeholders to becoming more focused on what the user needs.”</div>
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Providing legal information and education are part of the mandate of the society, established in 1979, and the site is part of its innovative approach, which includes the use of graphic novels to address family violence.</div>
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But these days, most people turn to the Internet — the society’s website alone had more than 1.4 million hits last year.</div>
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Yet research shows people are overwhelmed by online legal information and, after reading it, are often uncertain how it applies to their troubles.</div>
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“<a href="http://mylawbc.com/" style="border: 0px; color: black; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">MyLawBC</a> was developed to address these needs,” Benton said.</div>
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It was financed with about $775,000 in non-government funding from sources such as the Law Foundation and Notary Foundation. It will cost about $60,000 annually in maintenance.</div>
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MacLennan said: “Clients are doing their own research online and we’ve learned that we have to adapt our products to help them. So it’s more useful and effective for them, so they can take steps to solve their problems. For those with a little more money, and (who) can afford to pay for a lawyer, this website is going to encourage them and point out where they will get the most value for their money.”</div>
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Anyone with Grade 6 literacy skills should be able to use it.</div>
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“We’re hoping lawyers will see this as a reliable tool to give to their clients and start working together — more triage, more unbundling of services,” MacClennan said.</div>
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B.C. has been moving more and more into the delivery of legal services online — a new <a href="https://www.civilresolutionbc.ca/" style="border: 0px; color: black; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Civil Resolution Tribunal</a> for small claims and strata disputes soon will begin operating.</div>
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These kind of Internet remedies to legal issues were pioneered in Europe; but the family law dialogue tool, for instance, will be the first of its kind in Canada.</div>
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Big online retailers led the way with these kind of conflict-resolution systems that utilize linked, question-and-answers dialogue boxes to create “guided pathways” leading to solutions.</div>
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The Law Society worked with a Dutch group, <a href="http://www.hiil.org/" style="border: 0px; color: black; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Hiil Innovating Justice</a>, and a California tech company, <a href="http://modria.com/" style="border: 0px; color: black; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Modria</a>, which designed dispute-resolution systems for eBay and PayPay.</div>
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Couples, for instance, will be able to negotiate a separation agreement using something like a chat box at their own pace and in privacy without meeting face-to-face. If, after answering a series of questions, they can agree on the terms, the site produces a document they can use.</div>
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The legal community isn’t known to be receptive to change and not all lawyers are thrilled with these developments.</div>
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“Some are early adopters, that are excited about it and enthusiastic, and then you get the other ones and their first reaction is fear,” MacLennan said. “They’re afraid. It’s getting (them) past the fear and learning to see how it can help them. … We were aware it could become controversial among some.”</div>
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However, she quipped: “I don’t know of any divorce lawyers who have been put out of business by our free do-your-own divorce guides.”</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylawbc.com/" style="border: 0px; color: black; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">MyLawBC</a> initially contains information in four areas of law — family, family violence, wills and personal planning, and foreclosure.</div>
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<a href="mailto:imulgrew@postmedia.com" style="border: 0px; color: black; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">imulgrew@postmedia.com</a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/ianmulgrew" style="border: 0px; color: black; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">twitter.com/ianmulgrew</a></div>
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Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-3583456498811115482016-03-02T13:00:00.001-08:002016-03-02T13:00:14.731-08:00Legal decision: Children under the age of 10 cannot legally be left home alone<h1 class="title">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/09/17/bc-supreme-court-kids-home-alone_n_8155074.html" target="_blank">B.C. Supreme Court Rules On When Kids Can Stay Home Alone</a></span></h1>
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Khoo, E. (2016). The Huffington Post Canada. Retrieved from: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/09/17/bc-supreme-court-kids-home-alone_n_8155074.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/09/17/bc-supreme-court-kids-home-alone_n_8155074.html</a></div>
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If you think it’s okay to leave your children unsupervised, think again. A B.C. Supreme Court has ruled that <a href="http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/jdb-txt/SC/15/16/2015BCSC1658.htm" target="_hplink">children under the age of 10 should not be left home alone</a>, no matter how mature they are. <br />
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The ruling came after child protective services discovered a single mom from Terrace, B.C., was <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/life/young+children+home+alone+judge+rules/11369233/story.html" target="_hplink">leaving her son home alone every day after school in January 2014</a>.
From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., the eight-year-old boy would be unsupervised
until the mother, identified only as B.R., came home from work. However,
B.R.’s other child, a four year old, was left with a caregiver during
this time. <br />
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Previously, a provincial court judge ruled that B.R.
must supervise her son at all times, but the mother appealed the
decision. This week, Supreme Court Justice Robert Punnett then ruled in
favour of the social workers who deemed that “children who are eight
years of age <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/eight-year-old-too-young-to-be-left-alone-for-two-hours-after-school-b-c-court-rules-no-matter-how-mature" target="_hplink">do not have the cognitive ability to be left unsupervised</a>.”<br />
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To back up their claim, social workers <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/life/young+children+home+alone+judge+rules/11369233/story.html" target="_hplink">cited a number of various risks</a>
involved in leaving a child home alone. These included everything from
accidental poisoning to fires. As a result, the Supreme Court ruled that
kids under 10 must be supervised at all times. <br />
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In Canada, only Manitoba and New Brunswick’s child welfare acts state that children cannot legally be left home alone <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/eight-year-old-too-young-to-be-left-alone-for-two-hours-after-school-b-c-court-rules-no-matter-how-mature" target="_hplink">if they are under the age of 12</a>. <br />
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As
a result of this case and the lack of guidelines, parents are now
questioning their judgement when it comes to leaving children
unsupervised. <br />
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<a href="http://www.freerangekids.com/" target="_hplink">Lenore Skenazy</a>,
the New York-based author of "Free-Range Kids," explains: “I hear from
parents every day who say ‘Now I’m dragging the triplets across the
parking lot because I’m afraid that somebody will say that they think
this is dangerous and they will call the police who will then think it’s
dangerous who will then call [child protective services] who will then
think it’s dangerous and so I have to <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/eight-year-old-too-young-to-be-left-alone-for-two-hours-after-school-b-c-court-rules-no-matter-how-mature" target="_hplink">second-guess literally what I think is best</a> and safest for my own family.’” <br />
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For more information on leaving your children home alone, check out <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/05/04/parenting-tips-age-to-leave-children-alone_n_7070832.html" target="_hplink">parenting expert Alyson Schafer’s advice</a>.</div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-86182827677243201492016-02-02T11:09:00.000-08:002016-02-02T11:09:19.363-08:00Services for Victims/Survivors of Crime and Family Violence in BC<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/victimservices/shareddocs/outreach-services.pdf" target="_blank">BC Victims of Crime Outreach Services Contact List</a></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/victimservices/shareddocs/children-who-witness-abuse-counselling.pdf" style="background-color: white; color: #880088; line-height: 18px;" title="link to the Children Who Witness Abuse – Counselling Information Contact List document"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Children Who Witness Abuse – Counselling Information Contact List</span></b></a><br />
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<ul style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 20px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Provides individual and group counselling services for children aged 3 to 18 years of age who witness violence against a parent, most often a mother. </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The program is designed to help break the intergenerational cycle of violence against women by helping children cope with, and heal from, the trauma of living in a violent situation and learn about healthy relationships. </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/victimservices/shareddocs/outreach-services-multicultural.pdf" target="_blank">Multicultural Outreach Services Providers Contact List</a></b></span><ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These outreach services are provided in up to 24 languages to ensure women are assisted by people who speak their own language and are familiar with their culture.</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #880088; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/victimservices/shareddocs/stopping-the-violence-counselling.pdf" style="background-color: white; color: #880088; line-height: 18px;" title="link to the Stopping the Violence – Counselling Information Contact List">Stopping the Violence – Counselling Information Contact List</a></b></span><div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #880088;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span><ul style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 20px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Counselling services to women who have experienced sexual assault, relationship violence or childhood abuse. </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The range of individual and group Counselling services are based on the needs of individual women and delivered in an accessible, safe and supportive environment.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/victimservices/shareddocs/victim-service-directory.pdf" style="background-color: white; color: #880088; line-height: 18px;" title="link to the Victim Service Directory"><b>Victim Service Directory</b></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 18px;">– Police-based and community-based victim service workers.</span></span><br />
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Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-72410484200557826682014-11-25T20:53:00.000-08:002014-11-25T20:53:03.117-08:00Anti-violence Training Webinars and Videos <img alt="BC Society of Transition Houses" height="109" id="logo" src="http://bcsth.ca/sites/all/themes/bcsth/images/common/logo.png" width="402" /><br />
<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://bcsth.ca/" target="_blank">BC Society of Transition Houses</a> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">(BCSTH) has launched five free webinars for
anti-violence workers to help supplement their skills. </span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Titles include:</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Working with Mothers</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Working with Youth</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Working
with Groups</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></li>
<li>Resilience: Becoming Stronger After Trauma</li>
<li>Reducing Stress and Burnout: A Webinar for Anti-Violence Workers </li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Listening
Skills</span></li>
<li>The New Family Law Act - What's Happening</li>
<li>Other topics</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;">Webinars
are available via the</span> </span><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SocietyforChildrenan/093d7c2b1e/7fd57e48f3/730fe3c7fe/id=14" style="font-family: inherit;">BCSTH
Online Community</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="color: red;">or
their</span> </span><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SocietyforChildrenan/093d7c2b1e/7fd57e48f3/5946fa99cc" style="font-family: inherit;">YouTube
channel</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-62499683332464902262014-11-16T17:59:00.002-08:002014-11-16T17:59:27.253-08:00Case Law: Overview of findings for the Family Law Act <h3 class="post-title entry-title">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://bcfamilylawresource.blogspot.ca/2014/11/an-short-survey-of-cases-on-new-family.html" target="_blank">A Short Survey of Cases on the New Family Law Act</a></span></h3>
<div>
JP Boyd, (2014). Family Law: The Blog. Retrieved from: <a href="http://bcfamilylawresource.blogspot.ca/2014/11/an-short-survey-of-cases-on-new-family.html">http://bcfamilylawresource.blogspot.ca/2014/11/an-short-survey-of-cases-on-new-family.html</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The following is drawn from a presentation I recently provided to the </span><a href="http://www.lss.bc.ca/" style="font-family: inherit;">Legal Services Society</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> / </span><a href="http://www.lawfoundationbc.org/" style="font-family: inherit;">Law Foundation of British Columbia</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">'s
2014 Provincial Training Conference for Legal Advocates. It contains my
extremely brief summaries of what the courts have had to say about the
various provisions of the </span><i style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/11025_00">Family Law Act</a></i><span style="font-family: inherit;">, between 18 March 2013, the date when the act came into force, and 31 October 2014</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Sections:</span></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b style="font-family: inherit;">Best interests, s. 37</b></li>
<li><b>Impact of family violence, s. 38</b></li>
<li><b style="font-family: inherit;">Guardianship, s. 39</b></li>
<li><b style="font-family: inherit;">Parenting arrangements, </b><b style="font-family: inherit;">s.
40</b></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: inherit;">Parental responsibilities, s.
41</strong></li>
<li><b style="font-family: inherit;">Parenting time, s. 42</b></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: inherit;">Supervised parenting time, s.
45</strong></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: inherit;">Relocation if no order, s.
46</strong></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: inherit;">Changing orders, s.
47</strong></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: inherit;">Appointment of guardians, s.
51</strong></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: inherit;">Terminating guardianship, s.
51</strong></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: inherit;">Orders for contact, s.
59</strong></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: inherit;">Supervised parenting time, s.
59</strong></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: inherit;">Denial
of parenting time or contact, s. 61</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<div style="min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
</span></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-5034099499913610802014-10-23T12:31:00.001-07:002014-10-23T15:05:19.894-07:00B.C. Child Protection Tips, Legislation and Resources<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am regularly contacted by people who have become involved in child protection proceedings with the local child protection authorities, here in B.C. this is the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm not able to provide individual advocacy, so <span style="font-family: inherit;">I have put together this list of tips and resources to try to help people as they go through these situations. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Child Protection Tips and
Resources</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ensure that the child protection
authorities provide both parents, and other relatives entitled to service, with all legal documents regarding the child(ren) in the case of child apprehension, or other court matters. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Keep a log of dates, times, and subject
matter discussed in meetings with child protection authorities, including any requests for you to address specific child protection concerns. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Keep an organized file of all documents
provided to you/your family by child protection authorities.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ask your child protection worker to provide a detailed list of expectations, or a Risk Reduction Service Plan that clearly articulates what the identified child protection concerns are and what work they are asking you to do for them to be able to close your file, or in the case of a child apprehension, what you have to do to get your child(ren) back. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">As difficult as it can be trying to understand the child protection authorities'
concerns about specific risk factors is very important. You can spend your time fighting against them, you can dispute things (something allegations should be disputed) and/or you can channel your energy into understanding their perspective and the concerns someone in the community had that led to the child protection report and put your energy into continuing to be the best, healthiest parent(s) you can be for your children. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Try to build a respectful and cooperative relationship with your child protection worker. You don't have to like the worker, but if you can't find a way to work respectfully with them this will most likely be used against you in court, right, or wrong. In extraordinary circumstances, ask to speak to your worker's team leader to resolve issues, or in the most difficult situations, request a change of worker, after you have exhausted efforts to work with your assigned worker. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a difficult one: take some time to deeply reflect about how things are going for you, as a parent, how your children are doing and if they need help in some areas, whether there are things that have become a problem for you, or in your family and consider what steps and action you are ready to take to improve things for everyone. </span></li>
<li>Identify what supports and resources your child(ren), you and your family would benefit from and ask your child protection worker to help you access them. For instance, MCFD workers can assist parents in accessing child care subsidies, can advocate for increases in allowances for special diets for income assistance, can refer families to BC Housing and a host of other ways of providing supports. </li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Keep documentation about ways that you are
working on the risks the child protection authorities have </span>identified. For instance, keep notes of all of your meetings with service providers and work you've been doing with them. </li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ask people you are involved with if they will write letters of support at the progress you have made.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ensure you receive copies of all intake and assessment documents if you are engaging in services with contracted agencies. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">As you go through the legal process, MCFD will be required to provide you with disclosure of documents they have collected, stored and used to make decisions in your family matter. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can request your child protection file and MCFD records by applying through the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (</span><a href="http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/96165_00" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">FIPPA</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">). This can take a very long time. MCFD (and all other government Ministries) will have a Privacy Officer. If you want to request records held by Ministries, ask your child protection worker how to request your file and who to contact about this. </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Legal Representation</b></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Try to obtain a lawyer. It can be very expensive to try to hire a lawyer to deal with child protection matters, but it is very important to have legal representation. Most parents are in a "David and Goliath" situation when child protection authorities become involved with a family. Having a lawyer can create more of an even playing field as family court is a very challenging environment with many confusing and arcane rules and ways of operating.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">It can be difficult to obtain legal aid representation for child protection matter, but duty counsel are present at many court houses and most parents can speak to them, even briefly.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ask your child protection worker how you can access legal aid for your matters, or if they can introduce you to duty counsel if you have to go to court. This is something they should be happy to support you with and it is good practice to ensure clients have legal representation. </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To find a lawyer, consult the Lawyer Lookup for your area:</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><a href="http://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/apps/lkup/mbrsearch.cfm">http://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/apps/lkup/mbrsearch.cfm</a></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Legal Services Society </span>(aka legal aid)</span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This site explains what services are
offered by Legal Services Society in B.C.</span></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.lss.bc.ca/legal_aid/" style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.lss.bc.ca/legal_aid/</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.lss.bc.ca/legal_aid/howToApply.asp">Find out how to
apply for legal aid</a></span></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>LSS Call Centre (legal aid applications)</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: red;">Greater Vancouver: 604-408-2172</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span><b><span style="color: red;">Outside Greater
Vancouver: 1-866-577-2525 (call no charge)</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Find out if there are Legal Aid offices in
your community here: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.lss.bc.ca/legal_aid/legalAidOffices.php">http://www.lss.bc.ca/legal_aid/legalAidOffices.php</a></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Legal Advocates</span></b><br />
<br />
There are legal advocates at local agencies around B.C. who can help and support women who are going through the child protection process. They can help you understand and navigate the child protection system, attend meetings with you and advocate for your voice to be heard throughout the process. They can also provide emotional support and knowledge.<br />
<br />
To find out if your community has legal advocates do an internet search for the following:<br />
<br />
"legal advocate <your city>"<br />
<br />
"women's centre <your city>" - If your community has a women's centre, or services for women, they may be able to direct you to legal advocates in your community.<br />
<br />
Fathers may be able to find some support by doing internet searches for things like:<br />
<br />
"father advocacy <your city>" or "father child protection advocate"<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><strong>BC's Child Protection
Legislation</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The <i><b><span style="color: red;">Child, Family and Community Service Act </span></b></i>(1996) is the legislation that governs child protection in B.C. Sometimes this is referred to as the "<b><i><span style="color: red;">CFCSA</span></i></b>." You can read
through each section here:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/00_96046_01">http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/00_96046_01</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Other
Resources</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Ministry of Children and Family
Development (MCFD): Protecting Children </b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This page explains MCFD's legal mandate
and child protection work: </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/child_protection/">http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/child_protection/</a></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Family Law in BC from Legal Services
Society (aka Legal Aid)</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.familylaw.lss.bc.ca/resources/publications/pub.php?pub=77">http://www.familylaw.lss.bc.ca/resources/publications/pub.php?pub=77</a></span></div>
<div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">A Parent's Guide to Child Protection Law in BC</span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://resources.lss.bc.ca/pdfs/pubs/Parents-Rights-Kids-Rights-eng.pdf" style="font-family: inherit;">http://resources.lss.bc.ca/pdfs/pubs/Parents-Rights-Kids-Rights-eng.pdf</a></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Child Protection Context</span></span></h2>
</div>
<div>
I worked in MCFD as a child protection worker for several years (and was a former elected union representative) and I still have colleagues who work in the system. I have a very good understanding of the context of child protection practice in this Ministry. BC's child protection and other systems of care have been under-resourced, under-staffed and are overwhelming for workers, as well children and families and many other stakeholders for many, many years. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This Ministry almost always has the highest level of medical/sick leaves across the entire BC government due to the stress and unhealthy workplace conditions for workers. Many workers face the highest levels of stress on a daily basis due to the nature of child protection work. Over time, this depletes many workers' health and well-being and can lead to things like anxiety, depression, other mental health issues, physical health problems and burnout. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
MCFD also has a very high attrition rate of workers resigning from child protection jobs, going to work in other areas in the same Ministry, or leaving government altogether. This is why parents, children and others experience a very chaotic and challenging time dealing with Ministry workers, who can disappear at any time, with a new person being assigned your case. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When I worked in MCFD I had the fortune to work with many long-term clients. Once we developed caring, respectful and supportive relationships (sometimes this took a while, sometimes it never happened), many clients were able to develop empathy and understanding for the chaotic and challenging workplace environment and context I was faced with, and why it was so difficult for me to always be able to provide what they needed. Anything to do with resources is often out of the workers' hands. In many respects, I helped clients in spite of the organization and system I worked for and within. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In most cases, once we each had a clear understanding of the identified child protection issue, needs and concerns involved, we could work together toward the same goals: to enhance the safety, health and well-being of all family members and work toward positive resolutions, which is something different for every family I worked with. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You won't hear about this on the 6 o'clock news, but MCFD child protection workers, working with parents, family members and others, are doing great, supportive and effective work. Due to that work children remain with parents and other family members while important change work is taking place. Kids and parents are also reunited after apprehensions. Due to privacy and confidentiality laws, policies and regulations, you will never hear about these positive stories. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
No child protection worker should ever take offense to you respectfully, and seriously, asking them "No offense, but what can we do to not have MCFD involved with our family anymore?" Or "What do we need to do to have our file closed?" Listen and consider the answer. Ask questions, including what kind of supports they have to offer? What this tells the worker is that you are a motivated parent, who is willing to do what it takes to be a safe, healthy and child-focused parent. You can still fight things out in court, but while the glacial slow legal system grinds away, you will be engaging in a more positive, strategic and possibly,more effective process that will likely help everyone accomplish the same goals.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Sec. 2: Guiding Principles of the CFCSA</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="sec1" id="d2e652">
<span class="secno"><strong>2</strong></span> This Act must be interpreted and administered so that the safety and well-being of
children are the paramount considerations and in accordance with the following
principles:</div>
<div class="sec1" id="d2e652">
<br /></div>
<div class="para">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="d2e663"></a>(a)
children are entitled to be protected from abuse, neglect and harm or threat of
harm;</div>
<div class="para">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="d2e672"></a>(b)
a family is the preferred environment for the care and upbringing of children
and the responsibility for the protection of children rests primarily with the
parents;</div>
<div class="para">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="d2e682"></a>(c)
if, with available support services, a family can provide a safe and nurturing
environment for a child, support services should be provided;</div>
<div class="para">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="d2e691"></a>(d)
the child's views should be taken into account when decisions relating to a
child are made;</div>
<div class="para">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="d2e700"></a>(e)
kinship ties and a child's attachment to the extended family should be preserved
if possible;</div>
<div class="para">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="d2e709"></a>(f)
the cultural identity of aboriginal children should be preserved;</div>
<div class="para">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="d2e718"></a>(g)
decisions relating to children should be made and implemented in a timely
manner.</div>
</div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-75389131530202704322014-10-01T10:06:00.002-07:002014-10-01T10:06:41.071-07:00'Deadbeats' across Canada owe more than $3.7B in support<div class="story-headline">
<h1 class="story-title">
<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/deadbeats-across-canada-owe-more-than-3-7b-in-support-1.2782955" target="_blank">'Deadbeats' across Canada owe more than $3.7B in support</a></h1>
</div>
<br />
<h3 class="story-deck">
Programs to monitor support called 'seriously underfunded'</h3>
<div>
Moore, H. (2014). CBC News. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
They're commonly called "deadbeats" — people who refuse to
support their families after courts order them to pay — and CBC News has
learned they owe more than $3.7 billion across the country for support
orders. Nearly two-thirds of all support orders in Canada are in arrears.<br />
<ul>
<li><strong>INTERACTIVE | <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/multimedia/family-support-arrears-across-canada-1.2782421">Family support arrears across Canada</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<div>
In Ontario that number jumps to 80 per cent, although the
provincial government says it has replaced an outdated computer system,
and officials have collected more than $6.9 billion in support payments
since 2003.<br />
<br />
Experts and recipients say there aren't enough staff to do an
adequate job of monitoring the nearly half a million open files across
the country.<br />
<br />
<span id="yui_3_11_0_3_1412178450014_28">One debtor in Saskatchewan
owes more than $580,000 in arrears. Prince Edward Island's worst debtor
owes $240,000, and one delinquent in the Northwest Territories owes
$238,000.</span><br />
<span><br /></span>
Rollie Thompson, a professor of law at Dalhousie University, says something needs to change.<br />
<br />
"It's important to remember that every single one of
these programs is seriously underfunded," he said. "There's no gold star
program in Canada you can talk about."<br />
<br />
CBC's data reveal there are just over 1,600 full-time jobs devoted to managing more than 470,000 open cases.<br />
<br />
Caseloads range from a ratio of one employee to 233 cases in Quebec to 725 cases per employee in British Columbia.<br />
<br />
"Politicians who talk big about families and children are the
same people who aren't prepared to improve the staffing of maintenance
enforcement programs," Thompson said.<br />
<br />
Provincial maintenance enforcement programs started in the mid-1980s as a way to collect outstanding child and spousal support. The vast majority of cases referred are for child support.<br />
<br />
Deadbeats are technically divorced partners, and experts say that 97 per cent are men.<br />
<br />
Only three jurisdictions reveal their worst offenders, and two
publish their photos online. The other provinces won't reveal the
highest amount owing.<br />
<br />
<h2>
'Such a shame and waste,' says parent</h2>
In Manitoba, arrears topped $58 million as of August 2014. One parent, Lianna Anderson, 47, of Leaf Rapids, Man., is owed thousands of dollars from her ex-partner.<br />
<br />
She thought it would be simple to collect once she registered with Manitoba's Maintenance Enforcement Office.<br />
<br />
"I quickly found out that it sounds really good on paper," she
said. "I find it to be such a shame and waste of taxpayers' dollars."<br />
<br />
She hasn't received any payments from the maintenance enforcement
program since last year, and the arrears keep building. Her complaints
to the provincial enforcement office brought no results for months.<br />
<br />
Manitoba's maintenance enforcement office finally sent her a letter apologizing for the lack of service in August.<br />
<br />
"Basically, they didn’t even provide me the minimal level of service that they’re supposed to be," she said. "It’s disturbing."<br />
<br />
Shauna Curtin, Manitoba's assistant deputy
minister of justice, admits that sometimes errors do happen, but she
says an officer is in place to review files.<br />
<br />
"It's not a frequent occurrence, but when it does happen, we own responsibility for it," she said.<br />
<br />
<h2>
'A living nightmare'</h2>
<br />
All maintenance enforcement offices have ways of
forcing deadbeat parents to pay, including garnishments, property
seizures, taking away licences and even imposing jail time.<br />
<br />
But Alan Little of Sasqualit, B.C., a father of three, says the system is too rigid and treats all payers as if they are deadbeats.<br />
<br />
He has paid tens of thousands of dollars over the years for his
children, but he lost his job and he got behind on child support."They don't stop the payments," he said. "It's never wiped off the books."<br />
<br />
Since 1997, federal guidelines have determined how much parents
need to pay for child support, but Little said problems arise when payers try to change orders to amounts they can afford.<br />
<br />
His order is with the Nova Scotia provincial court, which told him it would take a year to get his case heard. He ended up on welfare at one point and had his driver's licence taken away.<br />
<br />
"What I experienced was a living nightmare," he said.<br />
<br />
Little is currently paying back his arrears now that he has a stable job in the Royal Canadian Navy, and he's in contact with his children every day.<br />
<br />
Curtin said child support debt, unlike other debt, is never
written off no matter how the payer's situation changes, and that could
explain why arrears are so high.<br />
<br />
"Something special about the debt owed to a former partner for
child support is that it doesn't die," she said, "It lasts forever."<br />
<br />
She added that maintenance enforcement programs are sometimes targeting people who can't afford to pay.<br />
<br />
"We are administering a program on people who perhaps don't
have lots of money," she said. "It's a matter of finding a way for the
person to remain committed to supporting their children to the best of
their ability."<br />
<br />
Anderson said she doesn't understand why the office couldn't collect on her payments.<br />
<br />
"I'm just angry and so disgusted with that office," she said. "It really upsets me."<br />
<br />
Curtin said all offices are focused on recovering money. She
points out that in Manitoba, $56 million in child support has flowed
to families.<br />
<br />
"All of the programs have the same objective, all of them." she said. "The idea is to get money to families."<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-62111950256399866322014-06-26T09:03:00.005-07:002014-06-26T09:03:57.407-07:00New resources: Translations of Separation Agreements: Your Right to Fairness<div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<a href="http://www.westcoastleaf.org/userfiles/file/For%20Web_SeparationAgreements2013_eng.pdf"><span style="color: blue;"><u>Separation Agreements: Your Right to Fairness</u></span></a> into
five additional languages (Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, and Traditional and
Simplified Chinese). The updated and translated versions of the booklet are now
ready and available. Please feel free to share this resource with others in your
communities. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<i><b><span style="color: red;">Separation Agreements: Your
Right to Fairness</span></b></i> booklet seeks to provide crucial financial information to
women who need it. The booklet was updated to reflect the changes to the law
resulting from the new Family Law Act. </div>
<div>
You can now download electronic copies of the updated and translated
booklet from the Westcoast Leaf website: <a href="http://westcoastleaf.org/index.php?pageID=264&parentid=29"><span style="color: blue;"><u>http://westcoastleaf.org/index.php?pageID=264&parentid=29</u></span></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
Hard copies of the booklet can
also be ordered free from the <a href="http://www.crownpub.bc.ca/Product/Details/7550004277_S"><span style="color: blue;"><u>Crown Publications Service</u></span></a>. </div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-10889622143076517492014-05-15T20:23:00.000-07:002014-05-15T20:23:56.580-07:00How to Spot a Sociopath<h1 class="firstHeading" itemprop="name">
<a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Spot-a-Sociopath" itemprop="url"><span style="font-size: large;">How to Spot a Sociopath</span></a></h1>
<div>
WikiHow. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A sociopath can be defined as a person who is at least 18 years old who
has Antisocial Personality Disorder. This disorder is characterized by a
disregard for the feelings of others, a lack of remorse or shame,
manipulative behavior, unchecked egocentricity, and the ability to lie
in order to achieve one's goals. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sociopaths can be dangerous at worst or
simply very difficult to deal with, and it's important to know if
you've found yourself with a sociopath, whether it's someone you're
dating or an impossible coworker. If you want to know how to spot a
sociopath, then you have to pay careful attention to what the person
says or does. See Step 1 to get started.</div>
<div>
<h3 class="">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Reading_the_Signs"><span style="color: red; font-size: small;">Part 1 of 2: Reading the Signs</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li><b class="whb">Look for a lack of shame.</b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb">See if the person is constantly lying.</b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb">See if they are able to stay eerily calm in spite of circumstances.</b></b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb">See if they are extremely charming -- at first.</b></b></b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb">See if the person is exceptionally intelligent.</b></b></b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb">See if the person is manipulative.</b></b></b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb">Look for signs of violent behavior.</b></b></b></b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb">See if the person has a huge ego.</b></b></b></b></b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb">See if the person makes uninterrupted eye contact.</b></b></b></b></b></b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb">Face reading.</b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb">See if the person has few real friends.</b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb">See if the person likes to isolate you.</b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb">See if the person is immature.</b></b></b></li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
<span class="mw-headline"><b class="whb"><div class="step_num">
</div>
</b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="mw-headline"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><div class="step_num">
</div>
</b></b></b></b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="mw-headline"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><div class="step_num">
</div>
</b></b></b></b></b></b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="mw-headline"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><div class="step_num">
</div>
</b></b></b></b></b></b></b></span></div>
<div>
<b class="whb"><div class="step_num">
</div>
</b></div>
<div>
<b class="whb"><b class="whb"><div class="step_num">
</div>
</b></b></div>
<div>
<b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><h3 class="">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Getting_Away"><span style="color: red; font-size: small;">Part 2 of 2: Getting Away</span></span></h3>
<div>
<span class="mw-headline"><div class="step_num">
</div>
<b class="whb"><ol>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><div style="display: inline !important;">
<span class="mw-headline"><b class="whb">Stay away if you can.</b></span></div>
</b></b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><div style="display: inline !important;">
<span class="mw-headline"><b class="whb">Be immune to the sociopath's charms.</b></span></div>
</b></b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><div style="display: inline !important;">
<span class="mw-headline"><b class="whb"><b class="whb">If you're dating the person, then get out as quickly as possible.</b></b></span></div>
</b></b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><div style="display: inline !important;">
<span class="mw-headline"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb">Warn others.</b></b></b></span></div>
</b></b></b></li>
<li><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"></b></b></b><div style="display: inline !important;">
<b class="whb"><span class="mw-headline"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb">Think for yourself.</b></b></b></b></span></b></div>
</li>
</ol>
</b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="mw-headline"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><b class="whb"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Spot-a-Sociopath" target="_blank">Read the full article here.</a> </span></b></b></b></b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="mw-headline"><br /></span></div>
</b></b></b></div>
<div>
<span class="mw-headline"><br /></span></div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-68237794524327372382014-05-11T16:53:00.001-07:002014-05-11T16:53:28.286-07:00Letter to the Editor: B.C. must act to save women, kids, from domestic violence<h2 class="entry-title">
<a href="http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/05/11/letters-b-c-must-act-to-save-women-kids-from-domestic-violence/" rel="bookmark" title="Letter of the Week: B.C. must act to save women, kids, from domestic violence">Letter of the Week: B.C. must act to save women, kids, from domestic violence</a></h2>
<div>
<b>Young, T. (2014). The Province. Retrieved from:</b> <span style="color: blue;">http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/05/11/letters-b-c-must-act-to-save-women-kids-from-domestic-violence/</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="color: red;">How many B.C. women must be bruised, bloodied and murdered
by their male partners before the provincial government takes action in
this domestic war against women?</span></b></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="color: red;">How many children in B.C. must face a future where their mother will not get to be there to see them grow up?</span></b></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
In less than a month, numerous headlines have captured the
picture of the extreme intimate-partner violence afflicting far too
many women and children.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
As your article points out, the Provincial Office of
Domestic Violence is once again missing in action when it comes time to
discuss what the office might be doing and what strategic and concrete
action it is taking to make B.C. a safer place for children and women.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="color: red;">PDOV was formed in 2012 in response to recommendations
from the Representative for Children and Youth, who completed reports on
two cases of domestic homicide. Both of these cases were preventable
tragedies if the systems involved had been paying attention and acting
with conviction to keep the women and children involved safe from their
abusers.</span></b></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="color: red;">Reviewing the provincial domestic violence plan for
2014-2015, it is clear that there is no real action plan. There is only
the appearance of having a plan based on “proposed actions” and scant
details about how women and children will be safer.</span></b></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
It is time for the B.C. government to stop with the smoke
and mirrors. Abuse, attempted murder and spousal homicide of their
mothers should not be the memories children carry with them from
childhood.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span style="color: red;">The dynamics of family violence are complex, but solutions
are within reach. Other jurisdictions have seen improvements from
taking real action, so it is time for the B.C. government to stop
dragging its feet and listen to advocates for women and children and
those who have experience in this area who have strategic, concrete
ideas about how to improve the safety of women and children.</span></b></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<i><span style="color: purple;"><b>Tracey Young, Vancouver</b></span></i></div>
</div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-71935102416966716052014-05-01T08:44:00.000-07:002014-05-01T08:44:09.181-07:00Statistics & Advice on Leaving an Abusive Partner<h1>
<span class="din"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1346597/1-in-4-canadians-have-tried-to-help-a-friend-leave-an-abusive-partner" target="_blank">1 in 4 Canadians have tried to help a friend leave an abusive partner</a></span></span></h1>
<div>
<span class="din"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<i>Canadians would first look to a friend for help, although many would attempt to resolve abuse on their own</i>
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<span class="xn-location">TORONTO</span>, <span class="xn-chron">April 30, 2014</span>
/CNW/ - A new study from the Canadian Women's Foundation reveals that 1
in 4 Canadians have tried to help a friend leave an abusive partner.
Violence against women is prevalent in Canadian society, with women at
higher risk of violent victimization by someone they know, like an
intimate partner. <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">
According to the survey, Canadians are most likely to turn to a friend
first to report situations of verbal abuse (20 per cent) and emotional
abuse (22 per cent). However, a relatively equal amount of respondents
expect to resolve verbal and emotional abuse without outside help (28
per cent vs. 21 per cent, respectively), and a full 10 per cent would
expect to resolve physical or sexual abuse on their own.
</span></b><br />
<br />
"The fact that a quarter of Canadians have tried to help a friend leave
an abusive partner underscores the prevalence of violence in this
country," says <span class="xn-person">Anuradha Dugal</span>, Director
of Violence Prevention, Canadian Women's Foundation. "Abusive situations
can foster feelings of self-doubt, self-blame and humiliation, but
attempting to resolve it alone can pose a great threat to the safety and
well-being of the victim."
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">
Although Canadians are likely to report abuse to their friends, 13 per
cent of respondents do not have confidence that their friends would
believe them. Canadians also worry that their family (16 per cent),
doctors (15 per cent) and police or other authorities (28 per cent)
would not take their reports seriously.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"It's alarming that so many Canadians are worried that their
friends/family, doctors and even the police, would not believe them if
they disclosed abuse. Living in a culture where speaking out about abuse
is still taboo and where many blame the victim leads to many women
believing that the abuse is their fault. Women are therefore less likely
to come forward to report the assault or to seek assistance to escape
the abuse," explains Ms. Dugal.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">
Other findings in the study revealed:
</span></b><br />
<ul type="disc">
<li><span style="color: blue;"><b>The majority of Canadians would first report physical abuse (55 per
cent) and sexual abuse (56 per cent) to the police or other authorities </b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><b>Close to half (43 per cent) of respondents are not confident that
their HR department at work would believe them if they reported abuse </b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><b>Almost one-third (31 per cent) of Canadians say that the financial
toll that the legal process would take on their friends and family would
be likely to prevent them reporting an abusive situation </b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><b>A further third (31 per cent) of Canadians say having their story
exposed to the public, friends and family members would likely prevent
them from reporting abuse</b></span></li>
</ul>
The Canadian Women's Foundation's 10<sup>th</sup> Annual Campaign to End Violence against Women, ending <span class="xn-chron">May 11</span>,
raises awareness and funds for women who have experienced abuse. The
funds raised help more than 445 shelters for abused women and their
children and community violence prevention programs across <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> that break the cycle of violence. <br />
<br />
If you know a woman in an abusive situation, the Canadian Women's Foundation offers the following ways that you can help:
<br />
<br />
<b>1. </b><b>Be supportive</b>
<br />
The most important thing you can do is listen and offer your
nonjudgmental support. Tell them the violence is not their fault, and
that they deserve to be treated with respect, no matter what. Let them
know you do not blame them. If they decide to stay, do not judge them.
The most valuable things you can offer a woman who is being abused are
respect, taking her seriously and linking her to where she can get help.
<br />
<br />
<b>2. </b><b>Learn more about relationship violence</b>
<br />
Recognize the warning signs of abuse and understand why many don't press charges against their abusers. <br />
<br />
<b>3. </b><b>Be aware of the risks</b>
<br />
Be careful about how you communicate with the victim, since many abusers
closely monitor their victims (where they go, who they see, phone
calls, email, Facebook etc.)
<br />
<br />
<b>4. </b><b>Ensure your own safety</b>
<br />
Never confront an abuser or do anything that puts you in danger or feels
unsafe. Take care of yourself by talking through your feelings about
the issue with a supportive, knowledgeable friend or professional.
<br />
<br />
<b>5. </b><b>Find resources</b>
<br />
Before speaking to a victim, get the phone number of your local shelter,
crisis line, YWCA, or agency offering specialized services for victims
of abuse. This way you can provide specific information, if and when
they are ready.
<br />
<br />
<b>6. </b><b>Choose the right time and place</b>
<br />
Be thoughtful about where and when to discuss your concerns. Choose a
place where you will not be overheard or interrupted, and where they
will have privacy. Don't choose a time when you feel unprepared, or when
they seem distracted or are in a hurry. <br />
<br />
<b>7. </b><b>Voice your concerns</b>
<br />
Be sensitive. Don't give details about what you have witnessed, as she
may feel the need to give excuses or deny what happened. Explain why you
want to support her and tell her you're ready to listen whenever she
is. <br /><br />
<br />
<b>8. </b><b>Put them in charge</b>
<br />
Don't expect to know all the answers. Explore options with them. Don't
try to take over or tell them what to do. Tell them: "I won't make you
do anything you don't want to do." Ask direct, simple questions such as:
"Do you want me to help you find someone to talk to?" or "Do you want
to go somewhere safe?" If they aren't sure what to do, simply encourage
them to talk, and listen without judgment.
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">
To learn more about violence against women, read the Canadian Women's Foundation's fact sheet at</span></b> <a href="http://www.canadianwomen.org/facts-about-violence" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">canadianwomen.org/facts-about-violence</a>.
</span><br />
<br />
<b>*Methodology:</b>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
From <span class="xn-chron">March 21</span><sup>st</sup> to <span class="xn-chron">March 22</span><sup>nd</sup>
2014 an online survey was conducted among 1,009 randomly selected
Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of
error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of
20. The results have been statistically weighted according to education,
age, gender and region (and in <span class="xn-location">Quebec</span> language) Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of <span class="xn-location">Canada</span>. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. <br />
<br />
<b>About Canadian Women's Foundation </b>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
The Canadian Women's Foundation is <span class="xn-location">Canada's</span> public foundation for women and girls. We empower women and girls in <span class="xn-location">Canada</span>
to move out of violence, out of poverty and into confidence. Since
1991, we've raised money and invested in over 1,300 community programs
across <span class="xn-location">Canada</span>, and are now one of the
ten largest women's foundations in the world. We take a positive
approach to address root causes of the most critical issues facing women
and girls. We study and share the best ways to create long-term change
and bring community organizations together for training and to learn
from each other. We carefully select and fund the programs with the
strongest outcomes and regularly evaluate their work. We have a special
focus on building a community of women helping other women. Helping
women creates safer families and communities, and a more prosperous
society for all of us. We invest in the strength of women and the dreams
of girls. For more information please visit <a href="http://www.canadianwomen.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.canadianwomen.org</a>
<br />
<br />
<b>Editors Note:</b> When referring to the Canadian Women's Foundation, please use the full name. Please do not abbreviate or use acronyms.
<br />
<br />
SOURCE Canadian Women's Foundation
<br />
<br />
For further information: For more information including interviews
with Canadian Women's Foundation representatives: Molly Chudnovsky,
Edelman, <a href="mailto:Molly.chudnovsky@edelman.com" target="_blank">Molly.chudnovsky@edelman.com</a>, 416-849-8914; Nina Godard, Edelman, <a href="mailto:Nina.godard@edelman.com" target="_blank">Nina.godard@edelman.com</a>, 416-850-0611 </span></span></div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-64374314592189750182014-04-29T10:00:00.001-07:002014-04-29T10:00:13.466-07:00Intimate Partner Abuse Increases Postpartum Mental Health Issues for Women<h1 id="post-69137">
<a href="http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/04/29/partner-abuse-ups-postpartum-mental-health-issues/69137.html" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Partner Abuse Ups Postpartum Mental Health Issues"><span style="font-size: large;">Partner Abuse Ups Postpartum Mental Health Issues</span></a></h1>
<br />
<div id="top_review">
<span class="author">By
<span class="authorb"><a href="http://psychcentral.com/news/author/news-editor/" rel="author" style="text-decoration: none;">Rick Nauert PhD</a></span>
<em>Senior News Editor</em></span><br />
<span class="reviewer">
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D.
on April 29, 2014. PsychCentral. </span></div>
<div id="top_review">
<span class="reviewer"><br /></span></div>
<b><span style="color: blue;">New research links a history of intimate partner abuse to postpartum
mental health problems and suggests providers should heighten monitoring
of new mothers.</span></b><br />
<br />
Investigators examined associations of psychological, physical, and
sexual abuse experienced by 100 English-speaking mothers in British
Columbia, aged 18 years and older, in the first three months of their
postpartum period.<br />
<br />
The study is published online in the open-access journal <em>BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth</em>.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">Even though the abuse was typically minor in nature, such as
name-calling, any type of intimate partner abuse — before or during
pregnancy — was linked to higher than normal levels of postpartum mental
health problems.</span></b><br />
<br />
Forty-seven percent of all women who participated in the study experienced at least moderate mental health symptoms.<br />
<br />
The participants were largely from high socioeconomic backgrounds and
were not considered at high risk of postpartum mental health problems.<br />
<br />
“I think when people hear the word abuse they automatically think
about physical abuse,” said Ashley Pritchard, a Simon Fraser University
doctoral student who interviewed the study’s participants and helped
recruit them.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">“This research shows that different types of abuse have negative
consequences and should be part of routine health checks for new
mothers.”</span></b><br />
<br />
In addition to questions about their general health and wellbeing,
participants answered questions about their experiences of intimate
partner abuse and about their mental health during their postpartum
period.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">Their symptoms, which included <a href="http://psychcentral.com/disorders/depression/" title="depression">depression</a>, stress, <a href="http://psychcentral.com/disorders/anxiety/" title="anxiety">anxiety</a>, obsessive-compulsive disorder (<a href="http://psychcentral.com/disorders/ocd/" title="OCD">OCD</a>), and post traumatic stress disorder (<a href="http://psychcentral.com/disorders/ptsd/" title="PTSD">PTSD</a>), were above normal levels and were triggered by specific types of abuse.</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">For example, psychological abuse — verbal and emotional — was
associated with stress and PTSD. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: blue;">Physical abuse was associated with
depression, OCD, and PTSD. Sexual abuse was associated with OCD.</span></b><br />
<br />
Multivariate modeling also showed that as the number of types of
intimate partner abuse experienced increased — especially during
pregnancy — so did the number of different types of postpartum mental
health problems, and their severity.<br />
<br />
The authors say their findings underscore the complex risks and needs
associated with intimate partner abuse among postpartum women,
regardless of socioeconomic background.<br />
<br />
Recognizing that it would be challenging to achieve, the authors
recommend that healthcare providers screen new mothers more intensely
for intimate partner abuse.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">“Educating both the public and health care professionals about the
prevalence and effects of intimate partner abuse would help to diminish
the stigma surrounding the issue,” said Pritchard.</span></b><br />
<br />
“In addition to education, the development of strong rapport and
trust between mothers-to-be and their healthcare providers would likely
make it easier to discuss topics such as partner abuse openly.”<br />
<br />
The authors advocate that further studies investigate intervention and prevention strategies.<br />
<br />
<div id="top_review">
<span class="reviewer">Source: <a href="http://www.sfu.ca/">Simon Fraser University</a> </span></div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-59610068127293878272014-04-20T10:27:00.002-07:002014-04-20T10:27:39.312-07:00Family Law Act Ruling: Unmarried Couples & Property Division <h1 class="entry-title">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://elan.lss.bc.ca/2014/02/27/fla-case-law-property-division-and-unmarried-couples/" target="_blank">FLA case law, property division and unmarried couples</a></span></h1>
<div class="entry-byline">
<address class="author vcard">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><a class="url fn" href="http://elan.lss.bc.ca/2014/02/27/fla-case-law-property-division-and-unmarried-couples/">Legal aid</a> (2014). </span></address>
<address class="author vcard">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></address>
</div>
<br />
<div class="entry-content">
When the Family Law Act (FLA) was announced at the end of 2012,
many people pointed out a quirk in the law that would effect unmarried
couples who split up between March 18, 2011 and March 18, 2013. As a
general rule, laws do not affect events from before they came into
force. However, the way the FLA was written means that it applied to
unmarried couples who split up as far back as March 11, 2011.<br />
<br />
Up until now, it has been unclear whether the court system would interpret the act this way. A recent ruling, <a href="http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/jdb-txt/SC/13/23/2013BCSC2378.htm"><i>Meservy v. Field</i></a>, has confirmed that this is indeed how the law will work.<br />
<br />
The old Family Relations Act did not consider unmarried couples to be
spouses under any circumstances, and so did not allow them to follow
those rules for dividing property. Instead, they would have to start a
Supreme Court case under the existing rules about unjust enrichment to
try and divide property when they split up.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">The FLA considers unmarried couples to be spouses as long as they
have been living in a “marriage-like” relationship for at least two
years.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: red;">It also gives couples two years from the date they split up to
start an application with the court to divide property. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: red;">This means that
unmarried couples who split up before the FLA came into force (on March
18, 2013) could file for the division of property using <a href="http://elan.lss.bc.ca/2012/08/16/the-new-family-law-act-%E2%80%94-dividing-property/">the FLA rules</a> as long as they:</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">split up after March 18, 2011, and</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">it hasn’t been more than two years since the split.</span></b></li>
</ul>
</div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-78539481626686799732014-04-20T10:23:00.002-07:002014-04-20T10:23:54.860-07:00How to Obtain a Court-appointed lawyer in Child Protection Cases<h1 class="entry-title">
<img alt="Publication" height="250" src="http://resources.lss.bc.ca/pdfs/pubs/images/How-to-Get-A-Court-Appointed-Lawyer-for-Your-Child-Protection-Case-452-lss.png" width="190" /></h1>
<h1 class="entry-title">
<a href="http://resources.lss.bc.ca/pdfs/pubs/How-to-Get-A-Court-Appointed-Lawyer-for-Your-Child-Protection-Case-eng.pdf" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How to Get a Court-Appointed Lawyer for Your Child Protection Case</span></a></h1>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Legal Services Society. (2013).</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This <a href="http://resources.lss.bc.ca/pdfs/pubs/How-to-Get-A-Court-Appointed-Lawyer-for-Your-Child-Protection-Case-eng.pdf" target="_blank">new publication</a>
is for people facing a complicated child protection hearing who’ve been
denied legal aid but can’t afford a lawyer. The booklet explains in
plain language (and appealing graphics) why and how you can make a “JG
application” for a free court-appointed lawyer. The two necessary forms
are included right in the booklet, clearly explained and perforated for
easy removal. Also includes what to say and do in court at the JG
application hearing.</span></div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-18336240743311079842014-04-18T10:42:00.001-07:002014-04-18T10:42:34.126-07:00Your Rights on Reserve: A Legal Tool-Kit for Aboriginal Women in BC <h1 class="title" style="background-color: white; color: #33312a; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 44px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.atira.bc.ca/%E2%80%9Cyour-rights-reserve%E2%80%9D-legal-tool-kit-aboriginal-women-british-columbia" target="_blank">“Your Rights on Reserve” a Legal Tool-kit for Aboriginal Women in British Columbia</a></span></h1>
<h1 class="title" style="background-color: white; color: #33312a; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 44px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19.5px;">Led by Atira Women’s Resource Society’s legal advocate Amber Prince, this tool-kit was created by Aboriginal women, for Aboriginal women.</span></h1>
<div class="content-content" id="content-content" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="node odd sticky full-node node-type-news" id="node-1809" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<div class="inner" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="content clearfix" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<strong><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.atira.bc.ca/sites/default/files/Legal%20Tool-kit-April-14.pdf" style="color: #33312a; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: orange; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Click here to download: Your Rights on Reserve - a Legal Tool-kit for Aboriginal Women in British Columbia</span></span></a></span></strong></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thursday April 10<sup>th</sup>, 2014</span></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Media Contact:</span></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Caithlin Scarpelli</span></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<a href="mailto:caithlin_scarpelli@atira.bc.ca" style="color: #33312a; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">caithlin_scarpelli@atira.bc.ca</span></a></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">T: 604-331-1407 x. 104 C: 604-813-0851</span></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">RE: “Your Rights on Reserve” a Legal Tool-kit for Aboriginal Women in British Columbia</span></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Atira Women’s Resource Society is thrilled to announce the release of a legal tool-kit for Aboriginal Women in British Columbia.</span></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Led by Atira Women’s Resource Society’s legal advocate Amber Prince, this tool-kit was created by Aboriginal women, for Aboriginal women.</span></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Says Ms. Prince, “As Aboriginal women with varying experience with the law we have seen in our work and in our lives how gaps in legal information creates hardships for Aboriginal women in BC.”</span></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The tool-kit aims to address some of the identified gaps in legal information for Aboriginal women.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"><b>“We hope this tool-kit will be of assistance to women, their families and their communities,” says Prince, “as well as for service providers helping Aboriginal women understand some of their legal rights in BC and especially as they apply on reserve.”</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"><b>The tool-kit includes chapters on taxation, employment issues on Reserve, social assistance / welfare, education, Indian Status, Band membership, Reserve land and housing issues, wills and estates Issues, family law, relationship violence, Ministry of Children and Families Development and governance issues.</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">An Advisory Committee member for the Tool-kit, Donna Moon, notes, "I am excited for the launch and to have been a contributor to this important, much needed tool-kit!"</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<strong><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.atira.bc.ca/sites/default/files/Legal%20Tool-kit-April-14.pdf" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;">The Tool kit was funded by the Law Foundation of British Columbia and is available for download HERE</span></a></span></strong></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We are grateful to the Law Foundation of British Columbia for its support, as well as the Legal Services Society of British Columbia for donating staff expertise to the project. We would also like to thank our volunteers who contributed to the project, law student Robyn Gifford, and lawyer Mary Childs.</span></div>
<div style="color: #646060; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For more information on the tool-kit please contact our media contact above.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-81224447169334569212014-02-10T15:28:00.001-08:002014-02-10T15:28:35.432-08:00First child with 3 parents on birth certificate in B.C. <div class="story-headline" style="background-color: white;">
<h1 class="story-title" style="line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 5px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/della-wolf-is-b-c-s-1st-child-with-3-parents-on-birth-certificate-1.2526584" target="_blank">Della Wolf is B.C.'s 1st child with 3 parents on birth certificate</a></span></h1>
</div>
<h3 class="story-deck" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">B.C.'s new Family Law Act is the first to allow birth certificates with more than 2 parents</span></h3>
<div class="small lighttext" style="background-color: white; color: #595959; font-size: 0.83333rem; line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="spaced" style="margin-right: 1em;">By Catherine Rolfsen, <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/cbc-news-online-news-staff-list-1.1294364" style="color: #115278; text-decoration: none;">CBC Ne</a>ws,</span><span class="delimited">Feb 06, 2014.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A Vancouver baby has just become the first child in British Columbia with three parents listed on a birth certificate.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Three-month-old Della Wolf Kangro Wiley Richards is the daughter of lesbian parents and their male friend.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"It feels really just natural and easy, like any other family," said biological father Shawn Kangro. "It doesn't feel like anything is strange about it."</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">B.C.'s new Family Law Act, which came into effect last year, allows for three or even more parents.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Della's family is the first to go through the process, and they finalized the birth certificate registration last week.</span></div>
<div class="small lighttext" style="background-color: white; color: #595959; font-size: 0.83333rem; line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="delimited"></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">B.C., which is celebrating Family Day on Monday, is the first province in Canada with legislation to allow three parents on a birth certificate, although it's been achieved elsewhere through litigation.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The new Family Law Act, which came into effect in March 2013, aims to clarify who is a parent and who isn't as more couples turn to assisted reproduction.</span></div>
<div id="yui_3_11_0_3_1392073943943_27" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The act allow donors to be listed as additional parents, if the parents sign a written agreement before conception.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"The really big shift in the Family Law Act in terms of parents, is how you decide who's a parent," said findlay.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"In the old days, we looked at biology and genetic connections. And that's no longer true. We now look at the intention of the parties who are contributing to the creation of the child, and intend to raise the child. And that's a really, really big shift."</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Della's parents say they've had overwhelming support from family, friends and their East Vancouver community.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Of course there's the odd person who worries that we've stepped into something that doesn't have a precedent," said Richards.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.900054931640625px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Now that it has come to fruition and people see that we're just this family doing our thing, it's real now, and it becomes much easier to digest for whoever had doubts."</span></div>
<div class="small lighttext" style="background-color: white; color: #595959; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.83333rem; line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 1rem;">
<span class="delimited"><br /></span></div>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-40458281943550129222014-02-08T08:39:00.001-08:002014-02-08T08:39:24.047-08:00The role men can play in preventing violence against girls and women<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Bystanders+have+role+preventing+violence+against+women/9468846/story.html" target="_blank">Bystanders, men have role in preventing violence against women, victim’s father says</a> - ‘It’s
just wrong, and I’m never going to shut up about it’</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
Cockburn, N. (2014). Ottawa Citizen. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
<br /></div>
<div id="1" style="background-color: #effcff; line-height: 22px;">
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">OTTAWA — <b><span style="color: red;">One of the things that still haunts the father of Rehtaeh Parsons is that there were people who didn’t help his daughter.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><b>“We know what happens now, when we do nothing,” Glen Canning said Tuesday. “It can drive a victim to suicide. We have to let victims know that people care, and of course the best way to do that is to try to prevent them from being victims in the first place.”</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Parsons, from Nova Scotia, was taken off life support after a suicide attempt in April 2013 that her family says was prompted by months of bullying.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><b>The 17-year-old girl was tormented after a digital photograph purporting to show her being sexually assaulted in November 2011 was distributed around her school, they have said. Two men, now 19, face child pornography-related charges connected to the case.</b></span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Canning, a writer and photographer, has been outspoken since his daughter’s death. He was in Ottawa on Tuesday to speak at a “community discussion” held by the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">During an interview with the Citizen, he pointed to high-profile cases such as that of a pair of high school football players raping a drunken 16-year-old girl in Steubenville, Ohio, “where there are people around, watching what’s happening, and none of them are saying or doing anything. They’re just letting it happen,” he said.</span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><b>“I’m trying to reinforce the idea with people that that’s completely unacceptable. That’s just wrong — in my opinion you’re partaking ... in a sexual assault, if you’re just standing there, watching it happen without doing anything to stop it or to hold people accountable for it.”</b></span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Other advocates have worked to spread a similar message in Ottawa, particularly around the need for bystanders to step in if they see sexual assaults or harassment in transit stations and on buses.</span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Canning said men must play a role in ending violence against women, and in changing culture that encourages it or turns a blind eye.</b></span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>“Violence against women is a men’s issue. We need men to start setting examples, we need men to start speaking out, we need men to start challenging the culture that goes around with rape and sexual assault of women, where people make jokes about it or make light of it,” he said.</b></span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">People are part of the problem when they downplay incidents or cast doubt on victims and create an environment where victims don’t feel comfortable reporting an assault, he said.</span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="width: auto;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><b>“You’re perpetuating the issue where women just don’t bother coming forward at all because of how society looks at it. ... As innocent as that may seem to you, you are actually part of the problem. You are why women don’t come forward, and you are why sexual predators have victim after victim.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><b>“It’s just wrong, and I’m never going to shut up about it,” Canning said.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The culture is ingrained, he said, referring to a chant at frosh week at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax that glorified the sexual assault of young girls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“It can be a little bit frustrating, but the more the message is out there, the less people have an excuse,” Canning said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div id="2" style="background-color: #effcff; line-height: 22px;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The event was being held in Jean Pigott Place at City Hall from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.</span></div>
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Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-85071213191640171122014-02-08T08:29:00.003-08:002014-02-08T08:29:30.321-08:00Webinar: Equality Values in Family Law<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Webinar: Equality
Values in Family Law</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Think
the </span></span></b></strong><em><i>Charter</i></em><strong><b>
</b></strong><em><i>of
Rights and Freedoms</i></em><strong><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">
is irrelevant in family law? Think again! Join experienced family law lawyers
Megan Ellis and Zara Suleman, retired BC Supreme Court Justice Donna Martinson,
and West Coast LEAF Legal Director Laura Track for an informative and engaging
workshop on the ways in which </span></b></strong><em><i>Charter</i></em><strong><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">
equality values can inform your family law work. You’ll gain practical tips and
insights for using </span></b></strong><em><i>Charter<b> </b></i></em><strong><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">equality
values in cases involving financial issues, parenting arrangements, family
violence, and assessments of credibility. This course qualifies for 2 CPD
credits. </span></b></strong><b><o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></strong></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Presented
jointly by West Coast LEAF and the Trial Lawyers Association of
BC.</span></span></b></strong><b><o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">February
27, 2014, 12:00-2:00pm</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></h4>
<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">$25<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></h4>
<br />
<h4>
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Register
here: </span><a href="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/equality-values-in-family-law-tickets-10555440607"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: windowtext;">https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/equality-values-in-family-law-tickets-10555440607</span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></h4>
Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641965710961196065.post-35362360903202455452014-02-05T17:09:00.003-08:002014-02-05T17:09:55.419-08:00New Article that Critiques the new BC Family Law Act & PDOV/MCFD released a new three- year, $5.5 million action plan<b>Rachel Treloar, Susan B. Boyd. <a href="http://lawfam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/ebt017?ijkey=PLUhZbbmHlOyqZ8&keytype=ref" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Family Law Reform in (Neoliberal) Context: British Columbia's New Family Law Act International Journal of Law</span></a></b>, Policy and
the Family 2014; doi: 10.1093/lawfam/ebt017<br /><br />Retrieved from: <a href="http://lawfam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/ebt017?ijkey=PLUhZbbmHlOyqZ8&keytype=ref">http://lawfam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/ebt017?ijkey=PLUhZbbmHlOyqZ8&keytype=ref</a><br />
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/podv/" target="_blank">Provincial Office of Domestic Violence</a></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/podv/" target="_blank"> </a>has released a new three- year, $5.5
million action plan. The Action plan can be found on their website at </span><a href="http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/podv/pdf/dv_pp_booklet.pdf" style="font-weight: normal;">http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/podv/pdf/dv_pp_booklet.pdf</a></span></h4>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"><b>N E W S R E L E A S E - Ministry of Children & Family Development</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For Immediate Release</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2014CFD0003</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">- 000134</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Feb. 5, 2014</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2013-2017/2014CFD0003-000134.pdf" target="_blank"><br /></a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2013-2017/2014CFD0003-000134.pdf" target="_blank">Ministry of Children and Family Development Government </a></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2013-2017/2014CFD0003-000134.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>launches<u> </u></b></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>three-</b></span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">year domestic violence plan</b></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">VICTORIA – Government’s extensive consultation with anti-violence groups has culminated in</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">the release of the Provincial Domestic Violence Plan. The new three</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">-</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">year, $5.5</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">-</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">million Provincial </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Domestic Violence Plan </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">– </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">co</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">-</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ordinated through the </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Provincial Office of Domestic Violence (PODV) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">– </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">delivers on government’s commitment to make </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">B.C. a safer place for women, children and anyone </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">who has been affecte</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">d by domestic </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">violence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The plan is the result of public and anti</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">-</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">violence stakeholder consultations </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">and includes the </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">creation of </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">additional specialized domestic violence units, programs for Aboriginal families, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">direct services for perpetrators,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">and impro</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ved access to services and social housing for </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">survivors in rural and remote communities</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The plan also includes an Aboriginal response and specific approaches to address the unique </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">needs of immigrant </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">and refugee women and women with disabilities. Governm</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ent will invest in </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">direct services to address focus areas </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">that were identified during the consultation process as </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">key priorities.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Highlights of the plan:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">$1 million to help with the start-up and implementation of </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">additional specialized </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">domestic violence u</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">nits, which will </span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">provide direct services to high</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">- </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">risk families.</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">$2 million to develop and deliver programs specifically for </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aboriginal women, men and </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">children affected by domestic </span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">violence</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">– </span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">including victims and perpetrators.</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">$1 million to provide support a</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">nd intervention for perpetrators</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">to hold them </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">accountable and support changes in behaviour and </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>attitude.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">$1.5 million in direct supports to women and children for </span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">housing and transportation in </span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">rural and remote communities.</span></b></div>
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<br />Mental Health BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03934690420136606966noreply@blogger.com0