Traditional Lands ACWS acknowledges the traditional lands upon which we live, work, and play. We recognize that all Albertans are Treaty people and have a responsibility to understand our history so that we can honor the past, be aware of the present, and create a just and caring future. ACWS celebrates and values the resiliency, successes, and teachings that Alberta’s Indigenous people have shown us, as well as the unique contributions of every Albertan. The ACWS office is located on Treaty 6 land, which is the traditional territory of the Plains Cree and an ancient gathering place of many Indigenous peoples for thousands of years. These lands have also been home to and a central trading place of the Blackfoot, Nakota, Assiniboine, Dene, and the Métis people of western Canada. We honour the courage and strength of Indigenous women. We honor them as life givers and care givers as we honor and learn from their continuing achievements, their consistent strength, and their remarkable endurance. Our members – and the participating shelters in this project – serve all nations and all peoples; they are located on Treaty 6, 7 and 8 lands across this province which include the six Metis regions of Alberta. 7 Elders ACWS respectfully acknowledges the following Elders who opened the consultations in a good way and who shared their time, blessings, and wisdom with us. Thank you to Irene Morin (Edmonton Regional Consultation), Lillian Gladue (Red Deer Regional Consultation), Doreen Spence (Calgary Regional Consultation), Glenda Schneider (Medicine Hat Regional Consultation), Rick Makokis (St. Paul Regional Consultation), Tyrone Healy (Lethbridge Regional Consultation) and Angie Crerar (Grande Prairie Regional Consultation). 75 Women ACWS gratefully acknowledges the seventy-five women in Alberta who gifted us by sharing their time, personal experience and perspective on what constitutes good practices, what barriers they experienced and what gaps need to be addressed in domestic violence service provision in the province as well as for their suggestions in how services can be improved. Special thanks to the following organizations for ensuring women’s voices informed our work: Lloydminster Interval Home, Hope Haven, WINGS of Providence, Wings Home Next Door, YWCA of Calgary, Rowan House, CIAFV Community Advocates, City of Edmonton, Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter, Pincher Creek Women’s Emergency Shelter Association. 298 Participants from 7 Regional Consultations and the Provincial Consultation in Edmonton We gratefully acknowledge participants attending consultations who shared their wisdom regarding practices that are working to enhance women’s safety, barriers that complicate effective service provision and potential action steps for their region. We also acknowledge ACWS members who co-hosted the Regional Consultations and thank you for your partnership and support: Strathcona Shelter Society (A Safe Place), Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter Association, Catholic Social Services (LaSalle), Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter Society, St. Paul and District Crisis Association (Columbus House of Hope), Discovery House Family Violence Prevention Society, Lurana Shelter Society, Grande Prairie Women’s Residence Association (Odyssey House), Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society, Edmonton Women’s Shelter Ltd (WIN House), Wings of Providence Society, YWCA Lethbridge (Harbour House), YWCA Calgary (Sheriff King Home). Sincere thanks to consultation facilitators and speakers who did a fabulous job in creating safe spaces for participants to engage in important and meaningful conversations. Kim Ghostkeeper, Alberta Culture and Tourism Roxanne Felix Mah, Policy Wise Ian Wheeliker, Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter Lewis Cardinal, Cardinal Strategic Communications 19 System Leaders Thank you for sharing your knowledge, successes as well as the challenges you face in realizing your visions for the future, for keeping women safe: Victim Services, Justice/Legal Services, Police/RCMP, Community Services, Human Services, Child and Family Services, Health and Mental Health Services, Indigenous Supports and Service Providers, Research and Academia. 52 Contributors to the Promising Practices Inventory Thank you for generously sharing your time for interviews, providing information about your excellent programs and sharing stories and tools illustrating your work. You helped create an excellent foundation for the inventory of promising practices, which will continue to grow and develop. Project Advisory Committee Members Julie Coleman, Executive Director, Pincher Creek Women’s Shelter Association Allison Downey-Damato, Domestic Violence Project Coordinator, Justice and Solicitor General Deb Miller, Senior Counsel, Family Law Office Irene Morin, Elder Julie Peacock, Director Victim Services, Justice and Solicitor General Karen Reynolds, Director, Children, Family and Community Service Catholic Social Services (LaSalle) Ian Wheeliker, Executive Director, Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter Curtis Zablocki, C/Supt. RCMP ACWS Staff Who provided project leadership and who organized, facilitated and documented regional and provincial consultations. Project Funders Thank you also to Status of Women Canada and Alberta Justice and Solicitor General for their generous funding support of the project. The content of Safety From Domestic Violence: Inventory of Promising Practices in Alberta is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of our funders (Status of Women Canada and Alberta Justice and Solicitor General). Principle Author Irene Hoffart, M.S.W., Synergy Research Group Completed for the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters
