Substance use is often an underlying factor in domestic abuse, and government funding will help a local organization better address it.
Genesis House is receiving about $125,000 in funding through a joint initiative of the governments of Canada and Manitoba to help address the issue as part of efforts aimed at gender-based violence.
“It’s a need that we have seen grow in our community over the last number of years,” said Sophie Gerbrandt, resource development manager for regional women’s shelter. “It continues to rise. For example, this last year, about 33 per cent of our in-house clients have received treatment at some point for substance use, and that has not been something that we have been equipped to deal with in the shelter.”
Gerbrandt sees the organization using the funds to help build a strong foundation for the additional support that is needed including updating and improving their policies around how they need to react and respond. It could also involve a term community outreach worker.
“This is something that’s new for all of us, so we want to make sure that we’re doing it in a healthy way,” said Gerbrandt.
“It’s very exciting. It’s a need that we have seen for quite awhile in our community but we haven’t had the resources to address it,” she said. “It’s very exciting that government has recognized that this is a need and has come behind us to make a project like this happen now.”
Substance use is something that they see as having a ripple effect and often playing a significant role with their sometimes even the physical pain of abuse that we have experienced, but we are also seeing it as an abuse tactic … that is another way that they can control their partner, so we see it in a lot of different forms,” said Gerbrandt.
The government program is combining over $6.2 million in federal funding with $6.35 million from the Manitoba government.
This year’s funding will support 19 gender based violence focused community initiatives across the province, and it is part of a comprehensive 10-year national action plan to end gender-based violence.
Supported initiatives align with five pillars: supports for survivors and their families, prevention; responsive justice system, implementing Indigenous-led approaches, social infrastructure and enabling environment.
Funding under year two of the action plan will be dispersed across urban, rural, remote and northern Manitoba and is also aligned with key priorities and recommendations from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
“To work towards a future free from gender-based violence, our government is supporting community-driven actions in Manitoba,” said federal women and gender equality and youth minister Marci Ien. “We are empowering Manitoban organizations to lead the way forward in preventing and addressing gender-based violence.”
“We need to put a stop to gender-based violence in our homes and communities and make sure survivors have the supports they need,” said Manitoba Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine, who is also minister responsible for women and gender equity.
“We are taking action to ensure there are more supports for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, working with communities to break cycles of violence, and supporting Indigenous-led and community-informed approaches to address gender-based violence across Manitoba.”
