Federal funding provided to expand support for victims in Manitoba and to address vicarious trauma in the justice system

OTTAWA, ON, March 28, 2022 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to supporting projects and activities that promote access to justice and increase awareness of services available to victims of crime and their families.

Today, the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, along with the Honourable Jim Carr, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre and the Honourable Kelvin Goertzen, Minister of Justice and Attorney General for Manitoba, announced that the Government of Canada is providing financial support to the Government of Manitoba Victim Services to enhance support for victims and to help address vicarious trauma for staff. Funding of $3,586,500 over five fiscal years began April 1, 2021, and is being provided through the federal Victims Fund.

This funding will enable the continued support and development of the Manitoba Justice Victim Services Wellness Program. The goal of this program is to address and mitigate the impacts of vicarious trauma experienced by staff working directly with victims of crime while also improving trauma informed care to prevent re-victimization during the legal process. The funding will also allow for the expansion of some Wellness Program services to support additional staff in the justice system.

Additionally, the funding will allow the Victim Services Branch of Manitoba Justice to enhance support to victims under the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights. The funding will help reduce court-related costs for victims, and provide dedicated trauma-informed spaces for victims and families to use when at court.

The funding will also provide support to Victim Services Workers to address cultural safety in the justice system. In an effort to create and foster culturally safe spaces for victims and their families, specifically with an Indigenous cultural lens, services and supports are being extended to improve culturally safe programming. As a part of this initiative, Indigenous grandmothers, elders and other cultural supports will be available to provide support and guidance to victims as part of the court process.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada is committed to a justice system that works for all Canadians. The funding being provided to the Manitoba Justice Victim Services will help to address vicarious trauma experienced by staff in the justice system as well as help to deliver much needed support to victims in a culturally responsive, trauma-informed way for individuals and their families." 

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

"The funding provided to the Government of Manitoba will help to ensure that staff are supported within the justice system and that victims will have access to meaningful supports, information, and assistance."

The Honourable Jim Carr, M.P.
Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre

"The Manitoba government is pleased to support Manitoba Justice staff, in partnership with the federal government, by offering key programs to address and alleviate the impacts of trauma experienced by those working directly with victims of crime, and provide enhanced support to victims and their families. In addition, the funding will allow the expansion of wellness program services and provide more culturally safe programming."

The Honourable Kelvin Goertzen, M.L.A.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General for Manitoba, Government of Manitoba

Quick Facts

• The funding is being provided as part of the Call for Proposals through the Victims Fund, launched in October 2020, for provincial and territorial governments to support the implementation of victims services and the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights from 2021-2026.
• The goal of the funding is to increase provincial-territorial capacity to deliver victim services; implement victim-related legislation; increase victim participation in the criminal justice system; provide independent legal advice for victims of sexual assault; and increase awareness and understanding among criminal justice personnel, service providers, and victims on issues, legislation, and available services.
• The Victims Fund provides grants and contributions to support projects and activities that encourage the development of new approaches, promote access to justice, improve the capacity of service providers, foster the establishment of referral networks, and/or increase awareness of services available to victims of crime and their families.
• In Canada, women are at a greater risk of violent crimes such as sexual assault and other forms of sexual violence. Manitoba Justice Victim Services provides programming to all victims of crime, with the highest number of cases being intimate partner related matters, a form of gender-based violence.

Associated Links

• Victim Services – Government of Manitoba
• Victims Fund
• Victims of Crime

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SOURCE Department of Justice Canada

Chantalle Aubertin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Justice, 613-992-6568, [email protected]; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]