LawNow is pleased to announce the creation of a new Department, called New Resources at CPLEA, which will be a permanent addition to each issue. Each post will highlight new materials at CPLEA. All resources are free and available for download. We hope that this will raise awareness of the many … [Read more...]
Access to Legal Services in Womens’ Shelters
In December 2015, the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family (CRILF) published a new report, Access to Legal Services in Women’s Shelters, authored by myself and Dr. Lorne Bertrand, examining access to legal services among clients of women’s domestic violence shelters. The study sampled … [Read more...]
Domestic Violence: Useful Websites for Alberta
As librarians, we are often requested to select and evaluate information resources. In this short reference article, we would like to recommend a few reliable websites that offer high quality information on domestic violence. We have selected sites from reputable sources that present current … [Read more...]
CPLEA Launches Willownet.ca
Last year at this time the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta (CPLEA) published an issue of LawNow titled When It Hurts to Be Home addressing the theme of abuse and the law. The Centre for Public Legal Education (CPLEA) has a long history of providing accessible legal information in plain … [Read more...]
Under the Influence: Liquor Outlet Density and Domestic Violence in Alberta
We have too many liquor outlets in Alberta. Okay, we said it. This is a conversation that most Albertans don’t want to have. Privatization Effects In 1993, Alberta became the only Canadian jurisdiction to fully privatize the sale of alcohol. Since then, we have gone from 200 liquor outlet stores … [Read more...]
Can Domestic Abuse Victims Qualify as Refugees?
A Comment on Matter of A-R-C-G et al The recently-released decision of the United States’ Board of Immigration Appeals (“the Board”) in the Matter of A-R-C-G et al., (“Matter of A-R-C-G“), 26 I&N Dec. 388 (BIA 2014) may signal the United States’ growing openness to granting asylum to women who … [Read more...]
Protection Orders in Dangerous Circumstances
When trying to deal with family violence, everything can feel overwhelming, especially navigating the legal system. Victims of violence sometimes require a protection order that provides for no contact between them and the perpetrator of violence. There are several legal remedies available … [Read more...]
A Spotlight on Family Violence and Immigrant Women in Canada
Family violence remains a serious, on-going problem for many inhabitants of Canada. Justice Canada defines it as any form of abuse, mistreatment, or neglect that a child or adult experiences—physically, sexually, emotionally, financially, or otherwise—from a family member or from someone with whom … [Read more...]
Including Pets in Protective Orders
There is a growing awareness of the importance of pets to their owners, and especially to victims of domestic violence who rely on them for comfort and security at a time when they are most needed. Perpetrators of violence know this too – which is why they often threaten, harm, or even kill the pets … [Read more...]
Reflecting on Family Violence
I practise family law and often my clients have experienced, or are experiencing, family violence. It can be difficult to discuss “family violence” generally because there is no one experience of violence. A “yes” to a general question about whether or not a client has experienced family violence … [Read more...]