A Vancouver non-profit, Rise Women’s Legal Centre, conducted interviews with over 40 intimate partner violence survivors who revealed that abusers are exploiting the housing affordability crisis in British Columbia. The organization’s report suggests legal reforms to expedite access to protection orders and enhance legal aid services to help victims leave abusive relationships and secure safer housing.
According to Rise staff lawyer Haley Hrymak, the housing crisis in B.C. often traps individuals in abusive situations due to the lack of affordable housing options, forcing them to remain in or return to harmful relationships. The report highlighted shortcomings in B.C.’s family law system, which neglects considerations of safe housing in protection order and custody decisions.
Recommendations in the report advocate for amendments to the Family Law Act to require courts to factor in gender-related elements in relocation cases, such as housing affordability and family violence. It also proposes enhanced legal aid services to assist survivors in obtaining family property and suggests improved communication within the family law system to streamline the process of obtaining protection orders and child support.
YWCA Metro Vancouver’s CEO, Erin Seeley, disclosed that the organization has a substantial waitlist of over 1,000 women and families seeking transitional and long-term housing units. She emphasized the importance of trauma-informed and sensitive approaches in the family law system to better support victims of intimate partner violence.
The report calls for increased funding for legal aid and stresses the need for provincial investments to address gender-based violence adequately. The B.C. government is investing over $1 billion in women’s transitional housing and is conducting a comprehensive review of the Family Law Act following recommendations from previous reports. Proposed changes may include expanding protection order eligibility and reducing barriers for consecutive orders. Updates on the government’s response to the recommendations are expected in the near future.