Commitment
The Family Violence Counselling Program is committed to act co-operatively with the community, to end violence against women by offering specialized services that work towards the safety of abused women, hold perpetrators accountable, and work preventively to interrupt the generational cycle of violence with children who are exposed to family violence.

Role
In order to achieve these goals, the Family Violence Counselling Program offers individual and group services to abused women, forums in local high schools for females concerned about teen dating violence and age specific groups for children exposed to family violence.

Program Principles
The Family Violence Counselling Program has identified several principles, which guide the delivery of client services:
1. The primary stakeholder in this service is the abused woman and her safety is paramount.  No interventions by the Program should in any way hinder or jeopardize her safety or that of her children.
2. Violence against women is seen as an integral part of the imbalance of power between men and women in a patriarchal society that tends to subjugate women and protect male privilege.  Members of vulnerable population groups (e.g. visible minorities, persons with disabilities etc…) are at increased risk of abuse.
3.Wife abuse is both physically and psychologically destructive to all family members. Wife abuse is a life-threatening problem.  A treatment program which focuses on ending that behaviour and remediating its effect on family members is more likely to have a positive impact than one which puts other goals first.
4. Ending the violence is a primary objective and should be a necessary pre-requisite to any other goals in individual, couple or group therapy.
5. The responsibly to change the violent behaviour rests with the perpetrator.
6. Wife abuse is a crime.  Court involvement for the offender is viewed as helpful and in some cases necessary to attempt to facilitate change.  Criminal prosecution and conviction by itself is not enough to ensure fundamental and lasting change in a perpetrator.
 7.Violence is learned behaviour.  Children who are exposed to family violence, are more likely than other children to be the victims or perpetrators of violence. Therefore, preventative intervention is needed to reduce the effects and influence of violence on children exposed to family violence.

PROCEDURES AND PRACTICE
In order to achieve this commitment the Family Violence Counselling Program agrees to be guided by the above principles.  These principles are reflected in the procedures and practice:

Procedures
Referrals can be received, including self-referrals between 8:30a.m. and 4:30p.m., Monday to Friday.  In addition, crisis calls can be directed to the Children’s Aid Society after-hour’s worker.  Referrals can be self-referred or community agency referred.  All referrals are responded to within a week.

 Practice
• On referral to the program the abused woman is offered information about the Family Violence Counselling Program and its services.  Initially the woman’s reason for contacting the program and her safety is assessed.  She is encouraged to attend at the program to complete a woman abuse assessment.  She is informed of the program services available to herself and her children; individual and/or group counselling, legal support and group programs for children exposed to family violence.  She is also informed of appropriate community services; medical, shelter, second stage housing, advocacy services, counselling, legal – aid and housing that will assist her in ending the abuse against her. 
• An abused woman will not be interviewed in front of her partner and he will not be given information from her assessment.
• During the assessment interview with an abused woman, she will be offered services to:

a. Assess her level of safety and complete a safety plan.
b. Inform her about the resources for herself and her children in the                                    community.
c. Provide her with information about the MARC Group Program, if her partner has been referred, or is considering a referral.  This information will include realistic estimates of the potential or lack there of for change in these kinds of groups.
d. If her partner is referred to the MARC Group Program, then she would be requested to be involved in the Partner Monitor Program which aims to assess her safety, inform her of the level of threat he may continue to pose to her, and collect information from her about continuing control-tactics he may still be employing.  The Partner Monitor Program is offered to the women partners of men attending the MARC Group Program.

• This program will collaborate with existing agencies serving people of different languages, cultures, and abilities, to continue to improve accessibility for abused women and children to woman abuse services, which are responsive to their diverse needs.  This could be done through sharing information and using specialized services to supplement the Program’s ability, e.g. translation services, reading assistance, etc.
• This Program will develop a strategy to reach the rural and isolated people within the Program’s geographic community.
• This program will co-operate with local Violence Against Women Services and other related agencies such as law enforcement, the judicial system, and probation and parole services to create a co-ordinated, comprehensive response to wife assault.

An overview of F.V.C.P. Programs 
 
•  This Program offers a full range of services to abused women, such as: individual assessments, comprising of a Safety Plan, a Risk Assessment, history of the abuse and the ongoing abusive tactics used. Discuss the effects on children who have been exposed to family violence.  Counselling Services, including, individual and group; Legal Support Services, when there is Court (Family or Criminal) involvement; completion of an Ingamo Application and or Safe Housing in the Community, Oxford Housing, (for community residents); Advocate on behalf of the abused woman and her children with the community agencies; as well as facilitate referrals to appropriate community resources.  Women are encouraged to choose the program and/or community services that best meet their individual needs, as personal choice is crucial for an empowering experience.
• This Program offers services to the communities throughout Oxford County, according to demand and need.
• This Program collaborates with local Services for abused women to ensure that they are offered and provided with out-reach, advocacy, safety planning, medical, counselling, legal, housing and other assistance.
• Services for children exposed to family violence will be offered according to the age range of the children needing this service and in collaboration with other agencies in the community.  The Program will offer at least one group at any time.  These group programs may also be offered at different locations in the County, according to demand.
• This program will work closely with The Family Violence Co-ordinating Committee of Oxford County to develop a Male Batters Advisory Committee, so that MARC Group Program can be held accountable to abused women and the community.  This Program will involve abused women and the community in male batterer program planning, implementation and evaluation of effectiveness.  

WOMEN’S COUNSELLING AND SUPPORT SERVICES OFFERED BY THE FAMILY VIOLENCE COUNSELLING PROGRAM

The Family Violence Counselling Program offers specialized services to women who have experienced an abusive relationship.  These services include completing a woman abuse assessment,  individual counselling and legal support and advocacy.

Women’s Focus Group; This is a group program offering support and counselling to women who have been victims of their partners’ violence.  The group helps women understand the violence, which has occurred, its effects on their lives and those of their children.  Counselling is offered to enable personal family violence related issues to be explored and resolved.  With the hope that future decisions made will ensure a safer and better quality of life.  The Focus group is an on going support group for women where they can obtain support to address their personal issues over an extended period of time.  The woman decides the length of her participation, depending on her personal issues and life situation.

Any woman who believes she is in, or has left an abusive relationship can access this specialized counselling by calling herself or by a community referral.

Many women find that by participating in a group with other women who have been abused by their partners, help them to rebuild self-esteem.  Groups provide an opportunity to develop practical strategies in dealing with a partner’s violent and controlling behaviours.  More importantly they also end the isolation which so many women experience as part of their lives.

The Women’s Focus Group is designed for long term support, where women are able to address their personal and historical issues of woman abuse.  The group meets weekly throughout the year.  The group is guided by the program principles, with the woman’s safety being paramount.  There are specific group rules, where safety and confidentiality form the standard in an attempt to achieve trust among group members enabling them to explore their personal women abuse issues.  The limits of confidentiality are outlined and concerns addressed.

Individual Counselling
The Family Violence Counselling Program offers limited individual counselling services. It is available to women who have experienced abusive relationships and for specific reasons may not be ready to attend the Women’s Focus Group.
 These are:
• If she has been abused by several of her intimate partners.
• If she has a history of childhood abuse.
• If she is experiencing emotional difficulties.
• If she herself states that past group experiences have been difficult for her, not allowing her to address her own  issues.
• If she has  particular personal issues.
• If she is in a transitional period in her life.

Legal Support Program
Legal support is offered for women who have been in an abusive relationship.  Often the women are confronted with a variety of legal situations as a result of the abuse; such as, victim/witness in an assault case, seeking custody of her children, etc. Although the woman may have contact with other people involved in the legal system; e.g., police, crown attorneys, and/or lawyers, frequently because of the dynamics of the abusive relationship, she will need extra support to deal with many of these issues. 
• Attend Crown Open Door each Friday  10am - 12 noon
  - provide information to woman about resources available for her and her  children
  - provide support to woman during interview
• Provide court preparation
• Accompany women to court