For service providers

Intimate partner violence in rural communities

While women from all backgrounds are subjected to many of the same forms of violence, intimidation, isolation and control from abusive partners, women of some communities and populations can experience systemic discrimination and face additional challenges in leaving the relationship. They may be more vulnerable due to a lack of resources and options for leaving.

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We’ve updated & expanded the Emergency Motions Toolkit!

We’re pleased to announce that we have updated and expanded the Emergency Motions Toolkit!

The Emergency Motions Toolkit provides clear information for Ontario advocates assisting woman abuse survivors about how to create effective emergency motions for a variety of different situations.

Contents include: emergency numbers and safety planning,

What are conferences in the family law system?

Much of your case will take place in a series of conferences. The goal of a conference is to assist the parties in settling their case. A judge has the authority to combine or skip conferences. There are three types of conferences:

Case conference

The purose of a case conference is to:

Explore the chances of settling the caseIdentify the issues that are in dispute and those that are not in disputeExplore ways to resolve the issues that are in disputeEnsure disclosure of the relevant evidenceNote admissions that may simplify the caseSet the date for the next step in the caseHave the parties agree,

Evidence: Where to get it and how to present it

It is very important to present accurate, detailed and credible information. Going to court is an adversarial process. The judge has to decide between two sides. You need to make sure that the judge has enough information about what has happened to you that they understand and believe your version of the story.

After She Leaves: Legal bullying

The content in this post is adapated from our recently updated After She Leaves Resource Manual. Click here to learn more about the manual.

What is legal bullying?

When an abuser uses the family law and court processes as a strategy to try to maintain power and control over their ex-partner,

The best interests of the child test

The best interests of the child test is the test that is applied by courts when they make determinations about appropriate parenting arrangements for families after the parents separate (or if the parents have never cohabited).

While the wording of the best interests of the child test is slightly different in the Children’s Law Reform Act (CLRA) and the Divorce Act (DA),

Self-employed payors and common deductions in family law cases – Part Two

Please take a look at our new resource, the second in a two-part series on supporting women who are dealing with a self-employed ex-partner.

View Part One

In cases involving a self-employed payor, it is common to see the following expenses deducted from their income:

1. Vehicle

Typically, where there is no evidence that the car was used for a long business trip,

Relocating with children: What are the changes to the Divorce Act and Children’s Law Reform Act?

It’s not uncommon for a woman to want to move after she has left a relationship in which she was being abused. Both the Divorce Act and the Children’s Law Reform Act (CLRA) govern what steps have to be taken in this situation,

What is coercive control?

The complex nuances of violence against women are poorly understood. Other forms of abuse such as psychological, financial and coercive control are often disregarded and seen as less serious.

People readily understand that physical violence is a form of intimate partner abuse and is wrong, but other forms of abuse such as psychological,

Luke’s Place is embarking on an exciting project!

We are embarking on an exciting project and hope you will join us. With funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), we will increase the capacity of feminist organizations across Canada to engage in systemic law and policy reform related to gender-based violence and women’s equality. We will also support organizations – including our own —