N.B. receives $16.3M in federal money to address gender-based violence
Money, spread over 4 years, will allow for enhanced support for survivors, says women's equality minister
The federal government is giving New Brunswick $ 16.3 million over four years to address gender-based violence in the province through a national action plan announced in 2021.
The funding is part of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence and was announced by Hamilton Mountain MP Lisa Hepfner, who is parliamentary secretary to the federal minister for women and gender equality and youth.
Sherry Wilson, the minister responsible for women's equality in New Brunswick, said the money will allow the province to enhance services available for survivors of gender-based violence and the organizations that provide "crucial life-saving support, services and information."
She said priorities include "increasing prevention efforts" and reaching those who "under-served and-or most at risk."
Wilson said the funding will allow the province to fund agencies to:
- Offer therapeutic counselling to survivors.
- Deliver specialized training for justice system, social services and health personnel.
- Provide funding to gender-based violence service organizations.
- Co-ordinate prevention and awareness campaigns.
- Enhance healthy relationship programs in schools.
- Support programming for children exposed to domestic violence.
- Enhance and expand prevention programs for individuals who cause harm.
- Fund initiatives to address violence against Indigenous women and girls and the LGBTQ community.
Wilson said the funding will help further the work the government is already doing.
In January 2021, federal, provincial, and territorial ministers responsible for the status of women endorsed a joint declaration to combat gender-based violence, which laid out a 10-year national action plan, based on five pillars, including support for victims and prevention.
Since then, the federal government has committed $1.14 billion to advance the plan, including $539.3 million over five years to help provinces and territories implement the national plan.
Monday's announcement in Fredericton is among a series of bilateral agreements being signed between the federal government and provinces and territories.
In July, for example, Ottawa gave Saskatchewan $20.3 million, and Manitoba $22.3 million, as part of the plan.
"As we commemorate the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, today's announcement brings us one step closer to a future where everyone can live free from gender-based violence," said Hepfner at the announcement.
"By partnering with the provincial government, we are making sure that these supports are strong, culturally relevant and respond to the needs of communities in New Brunswick."
Frontline agencies do the math
Cathy Holtmann, the director of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence is encouraged by the funding announcement but worries it's still not enough for frontline agencies that have been struggling since the pandemic.
With 24 transition houses and second-stage housing in New Brunswick — plus all of the other needs outlined by Wilson during the announcement — Holtmann said $16.3 million over four years doesn't go very far.
"If you do the math, that's not a lot of money going to those organizations which I said are feeling enormous strain and which continually have to do fundraising on top of the government grants that they get just to be able to keep their services running."
Jana Comeau, the executive director of Hestia House, a transition house in Saint John, hopes frontline service providers aren't forgotten in the trickle-down of the funding.
"I hope that there's a recognition that we're doing the work now and we have been," said Comeau. "So we're a piece of the puzzle that hopefully doesn't get overlooked."
She said funding hasn't increased in many years, while need has continued to climb.
"We're all fairly strapped," said Comeau.
While she's pleased that education and awareness were specifically highlighted as priorities, she said "the physical facilities" also need support.
"They just need to know that they can keep the lights on and staff in place to ensure that those safe places are there for the women when they need them. It is a struggle, and it continues to be a struggle," said Comeau.
27% of N.B. women experienced intimate partner violence
According to an information sheet from the federal government, police-reported data shows there were 749 victims of sexual assault in New Brunswick in 2022.
The government also said self-reported data collected in 2018 shows "27 per cent of women in New Brunswick had experienced physical or sexual assault committed by an intimate partner since age 15."
Wilson said, "The evidence indicates that most incidents of violence are never reported — not to police or health-care professionals, rarely to family and friends. Therefore, we know the statistics show only a snapshot of what is really happening in the public and private spaces of New Brunswick.
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