This report presents the major findings of the second cycle of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS-2003). In this initiative, data are collected every five years on child maltreatment reported to, and investigated by, child welfare agencies in Canada. The CIS is a collaborative effort of many partners: the federal, provincial and territorial governments; university-based researchers; the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society; child advocacy groups; and most important, child welfare service providers across the country.

Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect. 2000.

The Limits of the Criminal Sanction

Co-occurrence of intimate partner violence and child sexual abuse: prevalence, risk factors and related issues

The brutal gang rape of a physiotherapy student in India in December 2012 drew the world’s attention to the problem of sexual violence against women in that country. Protests and mass public reaction towards the case pressurized the government to respond to the crisis by changing the laws on sexual violence. However, these new laws have not led to a decrease in violence against women (VAW). Is this the result of the failure of the rule of law? Or does it highlight the limitations of law in absence of social change? This paper addresses the need for using law as a key tool in addressing violence against women in India. It recognizes that unless we address the structural and root causes of violence against women, our analysis will be limited. It is important to bridge the creation of new laws, with an analysis that speaks to the role of hypermasculinity, neoliberalism and culture in VAW. If unaddressed, what may result instead are quick fixes, symbolized by the passing of new laws that act as token gestures rather than ones leading to transformative action.

What’s Law Got to Do With It?

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Childhood victimization: Violence, crime and abuse in the lives of young people

Many domestic violence cases do not go to trial because the victim refuses to testify. This article presents a qualitative study exploring the dismissal of criminal charges in domestic violence cases. The 22 judicial and psychosocial professionals interviewed in Montreal, Canada, discussed various consequences of the legal decision to dismiss the charges on victims, perpetrators, justice system professionals, and society as a whole. Respondents clearly did not view the withdrawal of charges as a failure of the criminalization of domestic violence.

The Perceptions of Judicial and Psychosocial Interveners of the Consequences of Dropped Charges in Domestic Violence Cases

La violence conjugale est un probleme social grave et persistant ; le tiers des femmes de la planete en a deja ete victime. Cet article vise a discuter des liens empiriques et theoriques entre les violences conjugales, familiales et structurelles. L’article debutera par une breve mise en contexte decrivant comment la violence conjugale s’est construite comme un probleme socio-penal au Quebec. Les principales lacunes des connaissances actuelles dans le domaine seront ensuite identifiees, demontrant ainsi la necessite de mieux comprendre les liens complexes entre les violences conjugales, familiales et structurelles, trois concepts dont les definitions pourraient s’enrichir et se completer mutuellement. Cet article soulignera l’importance de prendre en consideration les realites diversifiees auxquelles sont confrontes les acteurs concernes par ces violences (femmes, hommes et enfants), en privilegiant une analyse globale qui integre non seulement les facteurs individuels et interpersonnels, mais aussi les facteurs sociaux et structurels, notamment les oppressions liees au genre ou a d’autres marqueurs de l’identite sociale. La discussion sera enrichie par des modeles theoriques decrivant les differentes dynamiques de violences conjugales et familiales ainsi que par le feminisme intersectionnel, qui s’avere fort utile pour l’analyse des violences structurelles. La conclusion traitera des retombees potentielles d’une analyse des liens entre les violences conjugales, familiales et structurelles sur les politiques sociales et les programmes d’intervention pour les victimes, les agresseurs et les enfants exposes a la violence conjugale.

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Les violences conjugales, familiales et structurelles : vers une perspective intégrative des savoirs

Dans le present article, la recension des ecrits effectuee dans le cadre d’une recherche au sujet de l’intervention sociojudiciaire en violence conjugale sera presentee. Nous designons par « intervention sociojudiciaire » l’ensemble des services specialises, mecanismes de concertation et systemes de reponse coordonnee en violence conjugale ou des interventions psychosociales et judiciaires sont liees. En vue de mieux connaitre ces pratiques, nous tracerons d’abord l’evolution de la reponse sociale a la violence conjugale ailleurs et au Quebec. Ensuite, le portrait general de l’intervention sociojudiciaire en matiere de violence conjugale sera brosse en portant une attention particuliere a son actualisation au Quebec. Enfin, les impacts connus de ces interventions seront exposes par le biais d’une synthese des etudes les ayant evaluees.

https://www.erudit.org/fr/revues/ss/2019-v65-n1-ss04865/1064591ar.pdf

Intervention sociojudiciaire en violence conjugale : état des connaissances

This article presents the results of a study conducted in Montreal (Canada) on how police use their power to release an accused on bail with conditions in incidents of domestic violence, which was granted to them in 1995. Interviews conducted in 2000 with police investigators and lieutenant-detectives revealed that police view this measure favourably. It allows them to release the accused on bail before his first appearance by monitoring him with conditions. According to police, this both reassures and protects the victim and avoids the need to detain the accused just to have conditions imposed by the court. While investigators found the decision to detain or release to be difficult at times, they also felt they were as capable as judicial officials in making the decision to release on bail. The police respondents explained why and how they are prudent in their assessment of the risks associated with release. Future research should evaluate to what degree the conditions they impose are adequate.

Sonia Gauthier

Papers

The Perceptions of Judicial and Psychosocial Interveners of the Consequences of Dropped Charges in Domestic Violence Cases

Les violences conjugales, familiales et structurelles : vers une perspective intégrative des savoirs

Intervention sociojudiciaire en violence conjugale : état des connaissances

Police release with conditions of the accused in cases of domestic violence in Montreal, Canada

Violences envers les femmes