Family violence continues to plague Ontario’s communities. The problem is not going away. Capital projects such as crisis shelters are a critical part of a community’s response to family violence, however we lack solutions to the long-term cycle of violence. The Green Party also recognizes the disproportionate impact of family violence felt by rural and native communities and addressing this tragedy will be one focus of our efforts.

The Green Party believes that taking a few steps now can make a big difference in the future. Therefore, we would immediately increase core funding to provincial family violence agencies.

Boys and girls who witness violence in the home are vastly more likely to become abusers and victims themselves. The Green Party will ensure that culturally specific counselling for child witnesses of domestic violence is available in every community in Ontario, beginning with Aboriginal communities.

We will also implement ongoing family violence counselling, targeted to abusers and abused of all genders, to provide people with the tools needed to break the cycle of violence.

The Green Party will inject core funding into supporting rural and Aboriginal family violence services, including:

■ Holistic healing centres, with the capacity to keep women and children safe from immediate harm and to promote personal, family and community healing

■ Access centres for government services, so women in isolated communities can find the help they need

■ Capacity building among native communities to provide services on an ongoing basis

The Green Party will institute mandatory province-wide responses to violence against women, developed with the expertise of survivors and women’s advocates.