This week, the Government of Canada marks Victim and Survivors of Crime Week, a national initiative designed to raise awareness about the challenges faced by victims and survivors of crime, while highlighting the critical services, assistance, and laws available to support them.
At Luke’s Place, we are dedicated to helping women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV),
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May 5th to the 11th marks Mental Health Awareness Week. This year at Luke’s Place, we are focusing on the role that self-care plays in sustaining feminist movements, particularly for women impacted by intimate partner violence (IPV) and those who work tirelessly to support them.
Taking time to care for yourself can sometimes be met with guilt or shame,
At Luke’s Place, we are proud to honour the incredible impact of our volunteers who help shape a more just and supportive legal system for women and children subjected to intimate partner violence (IPV).
This year’s National Volunteer Week theme: Volunteers Make Waves, highlights how each act of volunteering,
April 15, 2025
(Toronto, ON) Gregory Belton, Chair of the Donner Canadian Foundation, today announced the shortlist for the 2024 Donner Prize, the award recognizing the best public policy book by a Canadian.
“The aim of the Donner Prize is to spotlight books advancing a thoughtful perspective on policy issues facing our society and governments today,
Thursday, April 10th is Equal Pay Day in Canada. This day raises awareness of the gender pay gap. Despite decades of advocacy, research, and policy changes, the gender pay gap is still a pressing issue, especially for marginalized communities. The gender pay gap refers to the difference in earnings between women and men.
On March 30, 2023, the Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission released its final report, Turning the Tide Together. Now, as we approach the two-year anniversary of the report, we must ask: have we turned the tide, or are we still waiting for change? Unfortunately,
In recognition of International Women’s Day on March 8th, we dedicated the entire month to our campaign, Voices of Change: Women Shaping Law Reform. Advocacy and law reform are at the heart of our mission. Our organization was born as a community response to a tragedy resulting in the death of a child.
Message from Luke’s Place Board President
With gratitude and our best wishes for her future, the Board announces that our founding Executive Director, Carol Barkwell, will retire from Luke’s Place on May 30, 2025 after 22 years.
Under Carol’s leadership, Luke’s Place has grown from a small grassroots initiative in the Durham Region to a province-wide leader in family law advocacy,
Our team advocates for women and their children leaving violence every single day. It is central to our work that we:
Listen and amplify women’s voices about the changes they need
Seek opportunities to enhance the safety and experiences of women leaving abuse
For our frontline staff, this often involves direct advocacy within specific systems.
Empowered voices: Women shaping law reform
Throughout Canada’s history, countless women have worked tirelessly to advance gender equality. In 1884, women in Ontario fought to enact the Married Women’s Property Act. This granted married women the same legal rights as men, including the ability to own property and enter legal agreements.
