Gender-Based Violence/Intimate Partner Violence

In October of 2026, NLCAHR established a new Research and Knowledge Exchange that will explore research and parctice knowledge in two critical public health areas:

Gender-based violence (GBV) is defined as any harmful act directed against a person or group based on their gender, gender identity, gender expression, or perceived sex. It is rooted in power imbalances, discrimination, and unequal social norms, and it violates basic human rights.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to any behavior by a current or former intimate partner or spouse that causes physical, sexual, psychological, or economic harm.

The Exchange welcomes people from university (across all schools and disciplines, faculty, staff and students) government (front-line workers, decision makers) health and community service providers from all disciplines whose work or interests inteersect with these topics.

From a recent Government NL Press Release:

"Gender-based violence is widespread throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Rates are increasing, affecting individuals, families and communities. In response to the ongoing and devastating impacts, today the Honourable Tony Wakeham, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Honourable Lela Evans, Minister of Women and Gender Equality, officially declared gender-based violence an epidemic and announced the establishment of a task force.

This epidemic impacts people of all backgrounds, with women, girls, Indigenous Peoples, members of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, and marginalized populations being disproportionately affected. The impacts are far-reaching, affecting physical safety, mental health, housing stability, economic security and overall community well-being.

Regardless of age, socioeconomic background, or geographic location, gender-based violence remains a deeply rooted issue that requires a unified and comprehensive response to eliminate it from society.

The establishment of a Task Force to End Gender-Based Violence brings together individuals with lived experience, Indigenous representatives, frontline service providers, and other key community partners. Central to the work of the task force will be ensuring that the voices of survivors and those directly impacted by violence are not only heard but meaningfully included in decision-making processes."

The Conveners for the RKE on GBV/IPV are:

Stacey Hoffe, Co-Chair of the Task Force to End Gender-Based Violence, has been working in the gender-based violence (GBV) support sector for the past 8 years, with the past 5 in Happy Valley-Goose Bay as the Executive Director of Mokami Status of Women's Council; one of the 8 Status of Women Councils in NL.  Her background is in social work, education, and counselling psychology. Stacey has completed her first year as a PhD student at Memorial University's Labrador Campus in their Arctic and Subarctic Futures program where she plans to research GBV in the Labrador context. Specifically, anti-colonial opportunities for GBV healing. 

Emma Duke, Legal Support Navigator with the Journey Project, and the Intimate Partner Violence Lead for the team. The Journey Project was founded in 2017 as a collaborative initiative of PLIAN and End Sexual Violence NL. Journey exists to strengthen justice supports for survivors of sexual violence and/or intimate partner violence in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Dr. Ami Goulden, is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Memorial University. Her research and community-based work focuses on gender-based violence, disability, and access to services.

Resources & Links

Supports for Survivors in NL:
Advocacy:
Funding Opportunities:
  • Community Violence Prevention Grants Program | The Community Violence Prevention Program provides grants to support targeted, community-driven efforts, led by community partners within our province, particularly those in rural areas, to combat violence against high-risk populations.
  • The Indigenous Violence Prevention Grants Program | This program reaffirms the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s commitment to preventing violence experienced by Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals in our province. Applicants can request up to $30,000 per project.  Indigenous community organizations, governments, and groups can submit applications for the Indigenous Violence Prevention Grants Program.
  • Partnership Engage Grants: 2026 Competitions | These grants provide short-term and timely support for partnered research activities that will inform decision-making at a single partner organization from the public, private or not-for-profit sector. The small-scale, stakeholder-driven partnerships supported through Partnership Engage Grants are meant to respond to immediate needs and time constraints facing organizations in non-academic sectors. In addressing an organization-specific need, challenge and/or opportunity, these partnerships let non-academic organizations and postsecondary researchers access each other’s unique knowledge, expertise and capabilities on topics of mutual interest.
  • RCMP Family Violence Initiative (FVI), a commitment made by the Government of Canada to address relationship and family violence and victim issues. As a partner to the FVI, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Vulnerable Persons Unit (VPU) distributes funding to non-profit community organizations, as well as to municipal, provincial and territorial partners, to support communities in responding to ─ and reducing incidents of ─ family violence. It allows for the development of resources, tools and information to educate on the prevalence, and dynamics of, family violence and encourage victims and witnesses to seek assistance. In 2026-2027, the fund supported 20 initiatives, with a total of $339,400
Prevention:
Education:
Equity:
  • Supporting Equity for Black Women, Girls And Gender Diverse, and Trans Peoples (B-WGGDT in Canada: The Truth & Transformation: Advancing Gender Equity for Black Women, Girls And Gender Diverse, and Trans Peoples (B-WGGDT) In Canada project is a five-year initiative that addresses and responds to racialized gender-based violence experienced by Black women, girls, and gender-diverse people. It aims to align policies and procedures, increase capacity and skill-building resources and partnerships in response to gender-based violence.
  • The Amourgynoir Code: Truth & Transformation 2026 – The Amourgynoir Code
  • Women at the Centre: Truth & Transformation – WomenatthecentrE
 Economics:
Secondary Trauma Among Front-line Workers
Newfoundland and Labrador Research/ Researchers