Last year, we met with stakeholders from England and Scotland to survey the lessons that the criminalization of coercive control has taught. They all agreed there was no going back. A few days from now, we will be starting a new mission to form a clearer picture of the development and handling of controlling and coercive conduct offences.
However, this criminalization effort must be supported by the necessary conditions for its success. First of all, it must be introduced gradually to enable legal professionals to prepare for its coming into force, and, second, victims must be invited to consultation sessions, including victims from indigenous communities.
Human and financial resources must obviously be provided so that actors have the necessary means to effect the desired changes in practice, and awareness and training activities should also be established within all justice system stakeholders, including judicial councils.
To do so, stakeholders should be able to rely on specialized domestic violence resources, and a public awareness campaign should be implemented. Efforts must also continue to ensure effective implementation of the national action plan to end to gender-based violence and to ensure that victims have access to assistance and support resources and receive adequate and recurring funding.
Lastly, legislative measures must be evaluated at regular intervals in co‑operation with domestic violence experts and survivors.
Other measures are essential to enable women and children victims of domestic violence to escape that violence. For example, efforts must be made to develop social housing projects quickly, to make a resettlement assistance fund available to victims, as Australia is doing, and to facilitate access to a decent income.
The Regroupement welcomes the initiative of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, which, by studying the concept of coercive control, is helping to recognize and shape a clearer understanding of this behaviour. This is how we'll be able to protect the victims.
Thank you.