Abstract
This paper describes the Supporting the Supporters Research initiative that aimed to understand: 1) the value of informal supports in the lives of those dealing with domestic violence, 2) how best to support informal supports to effectively respond to the needs of the victim, 3) the service provider perspective on the perceived reluctance of friends and families to intervene, 4) the services already being offered to informal supports in Calgary, and 5) how organizations that specialize in domestic violence in Calgary can start to build customized education programs and supports that are geared towards informal supports including the general public to prevent domestic violence. Implications for the service delivery context in Calgary and area.
Refereed
Yes
Sponsorship
In 2012, through the Calgary Domestic Violence Committee (CDVC), HomeFront
contracted Elena Esina to conduct research on best and promising practices of an
effective societal response to domestic violence. After reviewing the findings with
members of CDVC, informal supports and their role in preventing domestic violence
emerged as a key area of interest to the group. As a result, in 2013, Shift summarized the research in the issue brief “Supporting the Supporters: How friends and families can help to prevent domestic violence” and in 2014, applied for funding to Innoweave to start a Calgary project in partnership with CDVC. A working group was created and we would like to acknowledge the following members of CDVC (Andrea Silverstone, Brigitte Baradoy, Kim Ruse, Maggie MacKillop, and Kevin McNichol) for providing guidance and support throughout this initiative. We would also like to thank Innoweave for providing funds to support this research project.
