Government of Canada announces funding to support survivors of gender-based violence

Government of Canada funding will help service providers support Trans, Gender-Diverse and Two-Spirit survivors of gender-based violence

April 12, 2018 - Toronto, ON - Public Health Agency of Canada

Gender-based violence has a disproportionate impact on people who identify as LGBTQ2 (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and two-spirit) and gender non-conforming.

Today, on behalf of the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, Randy Boissonnault, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre and the Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on LGBTQ2 Issues, announced funding for the Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children (METRAC) to deliver a project called TransFormed: Better Health for Trans, Gender-Diverse, and Two-Spirit Survivors of Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence.

Transgender people are almost twice as likely as cisgender [sis-gender] women to experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime. These experiences often have serious immediate and long-term consequences on both physical and mental health.

Working with a diverse group of people who identify as Trans, Gender-Diverse, and Two-Spirit and who have experienced intimate partner violence, METRAC will create peer support and health promotion tools for survivors. The group will also develop tools and training materials for service providers working in health, housing, criminal justice, legal, sexual assault and domestic violence treatment centres and social services. These activities will improve care for survivors of violence, while helping them rebuild their health and lives.

Supporting survivors of violence is complex and requires collaboration across sectors. The Public Health Agency of Canada is reaching vulnerable populations across Canada by investing in promising interventions and testing innovative approaches to healing.

Quotes

“The Government of Canada is proud to support projects that deliver and test innovative programs to support people who have faced gender-based violence. Through the TransFormed project, METRAC will deliver relevant and gender-inclusive programs that can help survivors of violence recover and move forward in good health.”

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health
 

“Far too many people face violence simply because of their gender expression, gender identity or perceived gender. I want to thank METRAC for its work to change attitudes, promote gender equality and deliver relevant services and programs that are helping to build safer, healthier communities.”

Randy Boissonnault
Member of Parliament, Edmonton Centre and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on LGBTQ2 Issues
 

“We are committed to ending gender-based violence in all its forms. The Transformed project will help those who have experienced intimate partner violence to receive safe and appropriate health and social support.”

Dr. Theresa Tam
Chief Public Health Officer
 

“METRAC: Action on Violence is pleased that the Public Health Agency of Canada has invested in this project. Together with community members, researchers, and multi-sector organizations, we are determined to make a difference in the lives of people affected by intimate partner violence (IPV), especially when it comes to supporting Trans, Gender-Diverse and Two-Spirit survivors of IPV to access equitable health and social supports when they need them.”

Wendy Komiotis,
Executive Director of METRAC

Quick Facts

• The Public Health Agency of Canada is contributing $478,000 over 26 months to the TransFormed: Better Health for Trans, Gender-Diverse, and Two-Spirit project.
• Trans is an inclusive term that refers to individuals who identify as transsexual, transitioned, transgender, trans men, trans women, genderqueer, gender-fluid, gender non-conforming, third gender, non-binary and intersex.
• Two-Spirit refers to a person who has both a masculine and a feminine spirit, and is used by some First Nations people to describe their sexual, gender, and/or spiritual identity.

Associated Links

• Stop Family Violence
• The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada 2016 – A Focus on Family Violence in Canada
• METRAC
• Family Violence Prevention Investment: Currently funded projects

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Contacts

Thierry Bélair
Office of Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health
613-957-0200
    
Media Relations
Public Health Agency of Canada
613-957-2983
hc.media.sc@canada.ca