To a forced marriage.
Evidence of meeting #21 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was abuse.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #21 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was abuse.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:15 p.m.
Crisis Intervention Counsellor, Herizon House Women's Shelter
To a forced marriage.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
But I was asking about violence. Did you say that domestic violence is more likely under arranged marriages compared with other kinds of marriages?
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
What evidence do you have of that? That's a very strong statement.
5:15 p.m.
Crisis Intervention Counsellor, Herizon House Women's Shelter
The evidence that I have is that I've been working with women who are fleeing that nature of abuse.
5:15 p.m.
Crisis Intervention Counsellor, Herizon House Women's Shelter
From the spouse or from parents who force them to agree with the marriage.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
I'm talking about arranged marriages, not forced marriages. Arranged marriages mean that both parties agree.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Given that definition of arranged marriages, do you actually have evidence that there's more violence in arranged marriages than in other kinds of marriages?
5:15 p.m.
Crisis Intervention Counsellor, Herizon House Women's Shelter
I would say yes because when the two are getting married, most of the time the marriage is not based on love or knowing each other personally. It's to bring the other person from overseas.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
That's a sort of philosophical argument.
Do you have physical evidence that? If you look at all the marriages in Canada, there's more violence in arranged marriages than in other marriages. Do you know that to be a fact? Do you have evidence of that?
5:15 p.m.
Crisis Intervention Counsellor, Herizon House Women's Shelter
I'm talking based on the experience and practice of my 12 years working with abused women and their children.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
I was pushing a little bit because there are many arranged marriages and I don't necessarily think they're bad marriages. They come from a different culture. I'm not aware that you can necessarily assume, just because it's an arranged marriage, that you're likely to find more violence.
5:15 p.m.
Executive Director, Afghan Women's Organization
No. Actually we are completely against forced marriages, but we are not against arranged marriages. Most of the cases we've seen have turned out to be successful and good. Sometimes it happens that when you are very young and you fall in love, love is blind. If abuse happens, it could happen in love marriages or arranged marriages. As long as the marriage is not imposed or forced on them.... We actually have some very successful cases.
5:15 p.m.
Founder, Executive Director and Therapist, Greater Vancouver Counselling and Education Society for Families
I would say that domestic violence and abuse happens in all forms of marriages and partner relationships. It's beyond the formality of marriage, and it's beyond age, sex, ethnicity, and everything else. It happens everywhere, every time, all of the time.
5:15 p.m.
Founder, Executive Director and Therapist, Greater Vancouver Counselling and Education Society for Families
As much as—