Child and youth victims of abuse and violence in New Brunswick to receive more support from the Government of Canada Français

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Department of Justice Canada

Jul 26, 2019, 10:00 ET

SAINT JOHN, NB, July 26, 2019 /CNW/ - Canadians expect to live in a society where the criminal justice system is fair and impartial and respects the needs of victims. This is especially important when those victims, or witnesses of abuse and violence, are children and youth.

Today, on behalf of the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Wayne Long, Member of Parliament for Saint John, announced the Government of Canada's support to Family Plus/Life Solutions. The Department of Justice Canada is providing $739,000 in funding over five years through the Child Advocacy Centers Initiative (CAC). With this funding, Family Plus/Life Solutions will help establish a Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (CYAC) in Saint John as a single point of access within the community aimed at the investigation, treatment and prevention of child and youth sexual abuse cases, and future expansion to include services to address other forms of maltreatment. This will also enable the organisation to make plans to ensure the centre is vibrant and sustainable for years to come.

Child and youth victims of abuse or violence need safe, comfortable spaces where they can obtain services adapted and customized to their needs in order to lessen the consequences of the violence they have experienced. Through the CAC Initiative, the Government of Canada is working to provide increased support to these victims and their families by providing funding to create CACs and CYACs. These centres seek to minimize system-induced trauma by providing a child-friendly facility for young victims and their families to seek multiple services, ideally under one roof.

The CAC Initiative provides funding to a number of victim-serving, non-governmental organizations whose programs and activities are aligned with the priorities of the Victims Fund and the Government of Canada.

Quotes

"I am proud that our Government is able to provide financial support to Family Plus/Life Solutions.  In supporting this project, we are helping child and youth victims to access services in a single point within their community to reduce the trauma they experience."

The Honourable David Lametti, P.C., Q.C., M.P.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

"I am very happy that Saint John will get its own Child and Youth Advocacy Centre. The work that is being done by Family Plus/Life Solutions makes a great difference for child and youth victims of sexual abuse cases in the community."

Wayne Long, Member of Parliament for Saint John

" Our 90 years of work, providing mental health services for families in Saint John, positions us well to lead this important initiative. Children and youth who are victims of sexual maltreatment deserve a community-based safe place, designed to serve their needs first. We thank the Department of Justice for this funding, and look forward to developing this multi-faceted resource for our most vulnerable citizens, and to continuing to work in partnership with a powerful network of local stakeholders including the Saint John Sexual Maltreatment Committee."

Heather Maughan
Executive Director,Family Plus/Life Solutions, Inc.

At a glance

  • According to self-reported data from the 2014 General Social Survey on victimization, nearly a third (32%) of Canadians aged 15 years and older – nearly nine million people – reported childhood physical or sexual abuse.
  • A Department of Justice five year, multi-site study was conducted to better understand how Canadian CACs are developing and operating; measuring client satisfaction and how CACs meet the Federal Victims Strategy (FVS) objectives. A total of six CACs were included in the study involving four delivery models. The results indicated:
    • Ninety-three percent of respondents in the study indicated that the support they received from all professionals was helpful.
    • Caregivers also identified the victim advocate as the most important service received by them (46%), while counselling/therapy was the most important service received by their children (33%).
    • Most youth victims (79%) and caregivers (91%) received services that were culturally sensitive.

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SOURCE Department of Justice Canada

media may contact: Rachel Rappaport, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Justice, 613-992-6568, [email protected]; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]

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