Abusers are exploiting the housing affordability crisis in British Columbia, according to survivors of domestic violence interviewed by a Vancouver non-profit organization. Rise Women’s Legal Centre engaged with over 40 victims of intimate partner violence and has put forth recommendations in a recent report. The report calls for legal reforms to expedite access to protection orders and expand legal aid services to assist victims in leaving harmful relationships and securing safer housing.
Haley Hrymak, a staff lawyer at Rise, conducted interviews with victims, legal professionals, and representatives from domestic violence charities to compile the report. The housing crisis in B.C. often traps individuals in abusive relationships or forces them back into these situations due to the lack of affordable housing alternatives. Abusers leverage this situation by using threats like, “If you were to leave me, you’d have nowhere to go.”
The report highlights gaps in B.C.’s family law system, pointing out that safe housing considerations are often overlooked in decisions regarding protection orders and custody applications. It suggests amending the Family Law Act to mandate courts to factor in gender-related aspects in relocation applications, including housing affordability and family violence.
Furthermore, the report recommends enhancing legal aid services to support domestic violence survivors in filing applications for acquiring family property. It advocates for improved communication within the family law system to facilitate faster issuance of protection orders and child support, aligning with suggestions from a previous independent review conducted by Dr. Kim Stanton earlier in the year.
YWCA Metro Vancouver’s CEO, Erin Seeley, disclosed that the organization has a lengthy waitlist exceeding 1,000 women and families seeking transitional and permanent housing units. Despite efforts to increase housing units, the waitlist persists, with some individuals hesitant to accept short-term stays, fearing the associated risks.
While acknowledging the call for augmented legal aid funding, Seeley emphasized the need for trauma-informed professionals in the family law system to cater to the needs of intimate partner violence survivors. She expressed disappointment in the absence of housing-specific initiatives in the federal budget, urging for more provincial investments to address gender-based violence effectively.
A spokesperson for the B.C. Attorney General disclosed that the province is committing over $1 billion to women’s transitional housing over a ten-year period. In response to Stanton’s report, the government is undertaking a comprehensive review of the Family Law Act, considering changes such as broadening eligibility for protection orders and streamlining the process for consecutive orders. Plans to promote coordination and collaboration within the legal system will be shared in the upcoming weeks.