Browsing by Author "Goulet, Sharon"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Opening the Door Beyond the Legal System: Understanding the Use of Alternative Justice Approaches to Sexual Violence Prevention and Healing in Canada
    (2022-06-29) Claussen, Caroline; Goulet, Sharon; Wells, Lana
    Victimization surveys suggest that one in three women in Canada and one in six men will experience some kind of sexual violence in their lifetimes. Rather than turn to the police, most victims turn to family or friends or shoulder the burden in silence. For every 1000 sexual assaults in Canada, only 33 are reported, and only 3 result in convictions of the perpetrator. The reality is the current criminal justice responses to sexual violence are not serving victims. When presented with alternatives to the traditional justice system, victims routinely choose them and experience much better outcomes with alternative justice approaches. In 2021, with support from the Canadian Women’s Foundation, Shift conducted research to better understand alternative justice approaches to sexual violence healing and prevention in Canada. By alternative justice approaches, we mean those activities and interventions that are outside the criminal legal system, that are victim and survivor-centred, trauma-informed, and promote prevention, accountability, justice, healing, and repair. The research project involved reviewing academic and grey literature, conducting an environmental scan, and interviewing advocates and practitioners who engage in this work. Through these three data collection methodologies, principles, practices, training, and activities have been identified, along with a series of recommendations to continue to grow and support this area of practice.
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    Research in the Calgary Aboriginal Community
    (2011-11) Wells, Lana; Goulet, Sharon
    In light of the fact that Aboriginal women face a significantly higher risk of spousal violence and homicide than non-Aboriginal women, this study aimed to examine the risk and protective factors, definitions, and best practice in the area of Aboriginal communities and domestic violence prevention. In addition, through the research process, it was our hope to identify community readiness and momentum for primary prevention work.
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    Strengthening the Circle: An International Review of Government Domestic Violence Prevention Plans and Inclusion of Indigenous Peoples
    (2020-01) Fotheringham, Sarah; Wells, Lana; Goulet, Sharon
    This study describes the level of government commitment in preventing domestic violence (DV) towards Indigenous women in countries of the Global North. Seventy-two government-endorsed DV prevention plans across 11 countries were analyzed. While over half of the plans acknowledged Indigenous peoples, the main discourse reinforced a western DV paradigm, reproduced negative stereotypes, and ignored systemic factors. Little consideration for intersectionality, the impact of colonization, or Indigenous worldviews was evident. Targeted prevention strategies were found but were disjointed and culturally inappropriate. Taken together, these findings suggest minimal government commitment and absence of cultural understanding regarding DV in Indigenous communities.
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    Understanding the environment: Domestic violence and prevention in urban Aboriginal communities
    (The First Peoples Child & Family Review, 2016) Goulet, Sharon; Lorenzetti, Liza; Walsh, Christine A; Wells, Lana; Claussen, Caroline
    Aboriginal women in Canada are at significantly higher risk for spousal violence and spousal homicide than non-Aboriginal women. Although the majority of Aboriginal people in Canada live in urban settings, there is a dearth of literature focusing on the experiences and violence prevention efforts of urban Aboriginal peoples. In order to understand issues relevant to the prevention of domestic violence among this population, we employed Aboriginal community development principles to conduct a scoping review of the relevant literature to explore the meanings and definitions, risk and protective factors, and prevention/intervention strategies within urban Aboriginal communities. Our study underscores that a number of domestic violence risk and protective factors are present in both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities. However, the multifaceted impacts of colonization, including residential school trauma is a key factor in understanding domestic violence in urban Aboriginal contexts. The limited available research on this topic highlights the need for Aboriginal-led research directed towards eliminating the legacy of violence for Aboriginal peoples in Canada.