Backgrounder

August 21, 2007

The Government of Ontario is committed to ensuring victims of crime have a strong voice. A broad range of victim services is currently provided through provincially funded programs.  Government and community-based services support victims in the immediate aftermath of crime, throughout the criminal justice process and as they work to rebuild their lives.

In addition to $1 million in new annual funding to support and develop Child Victim/Witness Centres announced on August 21, 2007, other provincially-funded programs that help victims of crime include the following:

Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Services
This community response program provides immediate on-site service to victims of crime, 24 hours a day, seven days-a-week.  It currently operates in 48 communities across Ontario and served more than 48,000 victims provincewide last year.  The government is increasing the program’s annual budget by 20 per cent, to $9.4 million.  The full funding increase will be in effect in 2008-09. 

Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centres
The province invests $13 million per year in Ontario’s 38 Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centres, which offer a wide variety of counselling, information and support services to victims and survivors of sexual abuse.

Victim Quick Response Program
A $6 million investment in three new immediate services for victims of violent crime was announced on July 13, 2007.  The services became available locally in over 50 communities across Ontario on July 16.  The three services are: 

• Emergency Expenses – for eligible victims, to secure premises for victim safety, provide crime scene clean-up and cover transportation and dependant care costs for a family member to identify a homicide victim or support a seriously injured victim of violent crime
• Funeral Expenses – to assist eligible families of homicide victims
• Counselling – to provide short-term, early intervention counselling to help victims of serious crimes recover from their experience. 

Community Grants Program
This program has provided more than $15 million over the past three years, including $6 million in 2007-08, for 107 locally based, innovative projects, that enhance services for victims of crime across Ontario.

Domestic Violence Court Program
This $22 million program provides victims of domestic violence with support from specially trained Crown prosecutors, Victim/Witness Assistance Program staff, police, Partner Assault Response programs, language interpreters and other service providers.   It operates in all 54 Ontario court districts and is the most comprehensive program of its kind in Canada.

Victim/Witness Assistance Program
A cornerstone of services provided to victims of crime, this program received $16 million in annual funding and helped more than 66,000 Ontarians last year.  It provides information, assistance, referrals and support to victims and witnesses of crime, throughout the criminal court process, in all 54 court districts across the province.  Surveys consistently show that over 90 per cent of clients are satisfied with the services they receive.  Program staff maintain close contact with local community agencies to ensure victims can access the full range of supports they need.

Guns & Gangs Task Force
A dedicated 12-member victim/witness assistance team is being put in place as part of the Guns & Gangs Task Force, which is based at a new $26 million state-of-the-art Operations Centre.

Bail Safety Project
In 10 locations across the province, the Bail Safety Project provides trained teams of Crown prosecutors, victim services staff and police to conduct in-depth interviews with victims of domestic violence at the bail stage. This is a time of high risk for victims.  The government has provided $11 million over three years to help identify high-risk situations, allowing Crown prosecutors to make better recommendations at bail hearings to help stop the cycle of violence.

Victim Support Line
The Victim Support Line is a free provincewide information line providing services in English and French, including referrals to community agencies, information on the criminal justice system and information to registered clients about the status and scheduled release date of provincially incarcerated offenders.

Combating Internet Child Pornography and Luring
A comprehensive, five-part, $5 million strategy is being implemented to combat Internet child pornography and offer support to victims and refer them to appropriate community services.  It includes:

• An undercover team of municipal police officers working online to identify suspects and victims, and prevent further victimization
• Dedicated Crown prosecutors to ensure a uniform level of excellence with respect to victim support and prosecution
• Victim support to ensure that identified victims are connected with the specialized services they need. 

Hate Crimes Community Working Group
The government established the Hate Crimes Community Working Group in December 2005.  The Working Group tabled more than 80 recommendations aimed at improving services to victims of hate crimes and preventing further victimization. 

Community HAte-crimes Response Grants Program (CHARG)
The government is investing $1.35 million in this program, which responds to several recommendations of the Hate Crimes Community Working Group.  Four kinds of community-based initiatives are being funded under this program:

• Projects to enhance community resources and/or address gaps in services to victims of hate crimes
• A hate crime forum to strengthen networks and share information among victims groups, educators and members of the criminal justice system
• A website for victims containing provincewide information about hate crimes and victim services
• Templates for community-based victim impact statements for use in court.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation
The Nishnawbe Aski Nation is receiving more than $700,000 over three years to provide services to male victims in northern Aboriginal communities who have suffered sexual abuse.

Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic
The clinic is a multi-service agency for female victims of violence in Toronto.  The Ministry of the Attorney General provides $300,000 in annual funding for a specialized legal service for assaulted women at the clinic.

SupportLink Program
Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking in 20 Ontario locations can access intensive safety planning and 911-programmed cell phones through this program.

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