CF Family Violence Prevention and Awareness Campaign Leadership: Roles and Responsibilities

Outline Part I: CF perspective on family violence Part II: Information on family violence Part III: Leadership roles and responsibilities regarding family violence prevention Part IV: Resources available

Background  Indicators of FV  Prevention activities  Resources available Within 90 days of assuming command, base/wing commanders and COs shall be briefed by the family crisis team on the dynamics of family violence (FV), including:

Part I: CF Perspective on Family Violence

Why Recognize Family Violence in the CF? The CF recognizes that FV has a direct impact on:  Operational readiness  Work performance  Good order and discipline Failure on the part of leadership to respond appropriately may result in decreased performance, serious injury or death.

Core Operating Principles:  Family violence in any form, by anyone, is a priority issue that is being addressed within the CF.  CF leadership at all levels must play an active role in the identification and prevention of family violence.  The CF will render all possible assistance and support to the family in a discreet and empathetic manner with due regard to privacy.

Part II: Understanding Family Violence to Better Support Our Members

What Is Family Violence? Family violence is an abuse of power within a relationship of family, trust or dependency.

Family Violence Includes Many Forms of Abusive Behavior:  Injury to pets  Physical abuse  Sexual abuse  Homicide  Criminal harassment (stalking)  Emotional abuse  Psychological abuse  Neglect  Financial exploitation  Destruction of property

The Cycle Of Violence  Tension building  Acute violent incident  Justifying and blaming  Honeymoon

Escalation Of Violence  Psychological to verbal  Verbal to economic  Economic to sexual  Sexual to physical  Homicide/suicide

Where Does It Come From?  Risk factors that are not easily “fixed.”  Marital distress, alcohol consumption, or a history of pre-deployment intimate partner violence (IPV).  A belief that seeking help (in the form of services) could hurt career success.  Inconvenient service delivery models that prevent some from seeking assistance when they need it.

Relevant Data  Five year rates of spousal violence among married and common-law partners was 9% in those aged and 7% in those aged  2004 HLIS results indicated that the prevalence of family violence over the past five years, while significant, is not necessarily higher then rates found in the general Canadian population.

Relevant Data  Actual rates of family violence in the CF are unknown, however, there is little reason to believe that they would be lower than those in the general population.  Approximately 12% of victims of violent crime were victims of family violence. 83% of these were women.

Why Do Survivors of Abuse Stay?  Staying in the relationship sometimes keeps the survivor of abuse alive  Fear of the abuser  Fear of losing the children  Lack of resources to leave  Lack of trust in the services  Isolation – posted away from family support – language barriers  Criminal justice system does not always take the survivors seriously  Survivors do not know where to go for help

Why Do Survivors of Abuse Stay?  Hope that the abuser will change  Still feel loved (honeymoon period)  Self-blame – the survivor feels responsible for the violence of the partner  Desire to keep the family together for the children  Ideal of a “happy family” – and the stigma of failure  Religious pressures/beliefs  Shame  Fear of being judged  Seeing the abuse as something normal (no other experience)

Myth or Fact? There is a higher incidence of family violence in the CF than in the Canadian population.

Myth or Fact? Survivors of abuse provoke the abuse and deserve what they get.

Myth or Fact? Men who abuse their partners are mentally ill.

Part III: Leadership… Roles and Responsibilities

CF Obligations - Awareness & Prevention  Base commanders and COs shall ensure that CF members and their families are provided with information concerning the dynamics of FV, its effects upon families and the resources available to assist them.  Unit briefings, family days, pamphlets, request for a presentation by the family crisis team, and other methods as considered appropriate.

Obligations FV is a health related issue that needs to be addressed. All CF members, supervisors and COs are responsible for :  Being familiar with the dynamics of FV and the resources available to assist.  Taking an active part in the elimination of FV within the CF.  Creating a supportive community that fosters early identification and intervention.

Relevant Policies  DAOD Family Violence  CDS Guidance: Chapter 23 Family Violence  Base/Wing Standing Orders

Responsibility: All CF Members  Immediately notify the local child welfare authorities in cases of alleged or suspected child abuse or neglect.  Provide support, by encouraging the survivor of abuse and/or the alleged perpetrator to seek further help.  For supervisors, inform the CO if the matter is likely to impact the member’s ability to meet operational requirements.  Contact the local Family Crisis Team for information & guidance. In the event of an alleged incident of FV, immediate action must be taken:

Responsibilities of COs & Supervisors:  First priority is to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved.  Upon receipt of an allegation, COs should consider implementation of a significant incident report in accordance with DAOD , including D Med Pol, and the base surgeon on the distribution list.  CF members should be permitted to attend any recommended services.

Responsibilities of COs & Supervisors:  Ensure D Med Pol and DMCA (Director Military Careers Administration) are advised with regard to any administrative or disciplinary action that may be taken (such as action pertaining to DAOD ).  The CO should seek advice from the legal advisor in those situations where it is unclear whether the CF or a civilian authority has jurisdiction with respect to the incident.

DMCA  Only has a role to play if the CF member involved in an incident of family violence is placed on counseling and probation.  Provides COs with current information and guidance regarding administrative measures related to family violence.

 Conducts administrative reviews of recommendations made by COs on a CF member involved in family violence where breach of counseling and probation has occurred or where family violence may result in a recommendation for CF member release. DMCA

Protection of Information Obligations:  It is imperative that all records concerning a family violence incident be treated as sensitive information.  Pending a conviction for an offence related to family violence, all individuals shall be presumed innocent. The right to privacy and the protection of personal reputation must be respected.

Official records of a family violence incident are designated Protected B and must be carefully controlled and safeguarded. Disclosure is regulated by the governing bodies of the discipline involved. Protection of Information Obligations:

Part III: Available Resources

CF Family Violence Prevention & Awareness Strategy  Promote awareness and education of family violence and its prevention to the entire CF community.  Provide members of the CF community with timely, accurate, and clear information.  Provide information about community resources in the event of family violence. Goals & Objectives:

CF Family Violence Prevention & Awareness Strategy  Provide CF leadership with accurate and clear policies, procedures, standards and good practice protocols for managing family violence cases and supporting education and awareness initiatives.  Ensure that the service providers/responders in CF communities are accessible to those they serve and ensure that the work that they do is visible.  Encourage open and frank dialogue within CF communities about family violence and family violence prevention.

CF Family Violence Prevention & Awareness Strategy:  National “Take a Stand,” against family violence campaign  DAOD  CDS Guidance to Commanding Officers Chapter 23 Family Violence Prevention  Annual Family Crisis Team training  Strengthening the Forces programs  Military Family Resource Centre

Intervention Resources Within the CF  Family Crisis teams  Psycho-social services  MP  Chaplains  Medical officers

CF Family Violence Prevention & Awareness Campaign: “Take a Stand” 36

Family Crisis Team - Roles  Prevention and awareness regarding family violence  Intervention and case management  Legal and administrative tasks  Specific functions based on members’ professional roles

FCT Team Members  Base/Wing Social Workers  Health Promotion field delivery staff  Military Police  Military Family Resource Centre Prevention, Support and Intervention Coordinators  As appropriate, professional health and social service workers from the civilian community.

Intervention Resources outside the CF  Military Family Resource Centres  CFMAP  Shelters, Rape Crisis Centres  Legal Aid  Social Workers  Psychologists  Members of the Clergy

Community Action At (Insert Your Base/Wing)  CF Family Violence Prevention and Awareness Campaign: Take A Stand!  Family Crisis Teams  SOP  Strengthening the Forces Programs  MFRC

Emergency Numbers: Police Victim Services  Support services for women & men Transition House  Emergency safe shelter for women and children, supportive counseling Military Family Resource Centre  Assessment/referral, crisis support, short-term intervention. 24 hour Information Line toll free CFMAP Women’s Sexual Assault Crisis Line  Individual and group counseling for women survivors. Military Police  Variety of police and security services to the Base and surrounding military community. Community Distress Centre  24-hour Crisis intervention line

Conclusion: It can be found in all places:  In all classes of society  In all age groups  In all cultures  In all ranks Family violence in the CF is not negligible.

Take a Stand! Make the Call!