International Ballroom B & C

Welcome, Opening Ceremony, Introduction to the Knowledge Hub and Trauma-Informed Community of Practice

9:00am – 10:15am

The conference will open with a traditional ceremony led by Alice Echaquan. Members of the Knowledge Hub team will provide an overview of their project which includes facilitation of a Trauma-Informed Community of Practice (CoP). The CoP consists of representatives from more than 20 projects focused on Preventing and Addressing Family Violence focusing on a health perspective.

Speakers

Alice Echaquan

I am an Atikamekw woman from Manawan and mother of 4 children: 3 adopted in spirit, and a beautiful 13 year old Métis daughter. I am a grandmother. I am the daughter of a craftsman of bark canoes and bark baskets. My father was a tourist guide from Manawan. He was a guardian of the beautiful Nitaskinan Nemiscacik territory. My mother Madeleine was a bead artist of moccasins and mittens, and an excellent cook of traditional dishes. I am the third youngest of 9 children, of which 3 are dead. I have worked for 25 years in the fields of neglect, domestic and sexual abuse, child placement and suicide. I worked for Cirque du Soleil for 15 years, giving children in difficulty the chance to experience beautiful moments through Cirque du Monde workshops. For the past 3 years, I’ve been an expert in sexual assault and I’m trained in a cognitive-behavioral approach. I adapt my interventions to my Atikamekw language, values and traditions. I have been a team leader in my organization, an internal department head and a clinical supervisor. I work in collaboration with various committees to develop intervention projects adapted to my culture. I am a researcher in sexuality education to prevent sexual violence in my beautiful community and I’m a healer for my community.”

Katreena Scott

Dr. Katreena Scott is a Professor, clinical psychologist and Director of the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children at Western University. She currently holds a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Ending Child Abuse and Domestic Violence. Dr. Scott leads an applied research program aimed at ending gender-based violence in violence in family relationships, with specific expertise on addressing abuse perpetration in men. She has authored over 50 articles and book chapters on the development of violent relationships, the efficacy of interventions, the effect of abuse and trauma on children, and on empirically and ethically sound policies for working with abuse perpetrators. She regularly presents to audiences of academics, community-based service providers and to policy-makers to share emerging knowledge from research on gender-based and family violence.

Sabry Adel Saadi

Sabry Adel Saadi is a social worker, doctoral student and lecturer at the School of Social Work, Université du Québec à Montréal. He is the French-speaking implementation coordinator for the Knowledge Hub. He has participated in several research projects in Quebec and Canada, such as the Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative. His thesis uses secondary data from this pan-Canadian research, and focuses on the psychosocial-judicial needs of women survivors and bereaved relatives of domestic homicide.

Anna-Lee Straatman

Anna-Lee Straatman, MLIS, is project manager at Centre for Research & Education on Violence against Women & Children, Western University for the Knowledge Hub project. She has been a contributor to the Learning Network project. Previously, she was project manager for the Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative with Vulnerable Populations and an expert panel member of the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability. Anna-Lee has conducted interviews with hundreds of survivors of child sexual abuse in institutions such as schools and religious institutions.

An Evidence-Based Elder Mistreatment Prevention and Response Framework in the Community: Partnership Between RISE and EAPO

10:30am – 11:30am

Most Canadian communities lack a dedicated, coordinated response to elder mistreatment. RISE is one of the first evidence-based programs, worldwide, dedicated to the prevention and response of elder mistreatment in the community, recently selected as a top intervention by the World Health Organization. Funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, and in partnership with Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario (EAPO), the RISE-EAPO framework was developed as a solution to address this systems gap. Grounded in theory, research, and survivor input, RISE addresses harm at Relational, Individual, Social, and Environmental levels. Its four core components are: Repair Harm (restorative approaches), Inspire Change (motivational interviewing), Support Connection (teaming), and Empower Choice (client-centered). This presentation will describe the RISE-EAPO elder mistreatment response framework, highlight findings from a randomized control trial showing significant psychosocial improvements, and share how RISE is being implemented across North America.

Speakers

Dr. Burnes

Dr. Burnes is a Professor at University of Toronto, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. He holds a Canada Research Chair on Older Adult Mistreatment Prevention. He completed a PhD at Columbia University School of Social, concentrating in gerontology and advanced practice. Dr. Burnes’ program of research focuses on elder mistreatment (EM), including development of basic science (risk factors, prevalence, severity) and the design, evaluation, and measurement of interventions to prevent EM. He has advised major international organizations on EM, such as the World Health Organization and National Institutes of Health, as well as Canadian federal and provincial governments. Dr. Burnes has also advised non-profit organizations, such as state-level adult protective services programs, on the development and implementation of EM support programs. Dr. Burnes and colleagues developed “RISE”, a community-based EM response intervention currently used across the state of Maine and in the initial stages of implementation and testing in Toronto.

Marta Hajek

Marta Hajek, is the CEO of Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario and feels privileged to be leading a modest, but extremely dedicated staff complement, supporting older adults and service professionals alike, when addressing the complexity of issues of EA. Under her stewardship EAPO continues to expand its circle of strategic partnerships across both national and international spectrums. As Director of Operations, she helped facilitate the rollout of ON 211, now a national information and referral service engaged in the human services sector. Marta continues to serve on the Seniors Expert Advisory Committee with the ON Securities Commission, as a Board Director with the Canadian Network for the Prevention of EA, is an elected member to the Steering Group of the Global Alliance the Rights of Older Persons (GAROP) and is through EAPO a founding partner of the Canadian Coalition Against Ageism (CCAA).Most recently Marta joined the Board of the International Longevity Centre - Canada and is a sought after speaker on the intersectionality of elder abuse and human rights violations, including gender-based violence. In May 2024, Marta once again addressed the United Nation's Open Ended Working Group on Aging as part of the CCAA delegation, advocating for the protection of human rights of this fastest growing demographic and calling for the declaration of a UN convention for the Rights of Older Persons.

Laura Ostler

L. Ostler, Prevention Consultant with EA Prevention Ontario (EAPO), has over 30 years experience, from her work as Manager, with the MInistry of the Attorney General (MAG), Victim Witness Assistance Program in Peterborough, Tri-Counties and Muskoka, as a Police Officer with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and as the Executive Director for Kawartha-Lakes Victim Services. Retired from Government in 2022, Laura joined EAPO, managing the steadily growing demand for Case Consults/ Information & Referral services by vulnerable older adults experiencing or at-risk of abuse. Ms Ostler works closely with the RISE Advocates to secure necessary support for clients, which help restore family dynamics and prevent further harm.  

“The support that is out there is not adequate”: Key findings from the AIM Study and implications for future research and practice 

11:30am – 12:00pm

Programs that target the needs of ageing women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) are limited in Canada and research on interventions that target this population in Canada is lacking. The AIM Study investigated the effectiveness of the AIM Program- a virtual health promotion program designed to promote empowerment and provide social support to ageing women who have experienced IPV. The purpose of this presentation is to describe the support needs of participants using both quantitative and qualitative measures. The discussion will focus on considerations for future research and recommendations for organizations that provide services to ageing women who have survived IPV.

Speakers

Lori E. Weeks

Lori E. Weeks, PhD, is a Professor in the School of Nursing at Dalhousie University and holds a cross-appointment in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies. She has expertise in aging and family studies and uses multiple methods to examine care and support services for older adults and their caregivers and factors affecting the health of seniors. Her research often focuses on the needs of vulnerable older adults both in the community and in residential care homes. One stream in Dr. Weeks’ program of research focuses on the abuse of older adults with a particular focus on supports for older women experiencing intimate partner violence. She has served on the Board of the Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and currently serves on the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Aging Advisory Board.

Kathleen Allen

Kathleen Allen is the Research Coordinator for the AIM Study and is employed at the Muriel McQueen Fergussen Centre for Family Violence Research at the University of New Brunswick. She has a master’s degree in Equity Studies and is passionate about improving the quality of life of women and other vulnerable populations through community-based research. Kathleen has experience conducting qualitative research from the vantage point of individuals who are marginalised within dominant social institutions (e.g., birthing women in hospitals). More recently, she has gained experience coordinating randomized controlled trials taking place within the Maritime provinces.

Katie Hamill

Supporting expecting parents who have experienced trauma: results of the STEP project

1:00pm – 2:00pm

Les femmes enceintes ayant vécu des mauvais traitements ou d’autres formes d’expériences traumatiques durant leur enfance sont à risque de présenter un ensemble de vulnérabilités psychologiques et maternelles dès la grossesse, contribuant à la possibilité que ces traumas aient des effets intergénérationnels. Le projet STEP (Soutenir la Transition et l’Engagement dans la Parentalité) a été développé pour répondre à ces besoins en offrant une intervention prénatale de groupe basée sur la mentalisation, spécifiquement adaptée aux personnes en attente d’un enfant ayant une histoire traumatique. La présentation exposera d’abord des données issues du programme de recherche STEP, démontrant que des antécédents de maltraitance, tant chez les femmes que chez les hommes, sont associés à un risque accru de difficultés psychologiques, relationnelles et parentales lors de la période périnatale, et sont susceptibles d’entraîner des répercussions touchant le développement précoce de leur enfant. Elle mettra ensuite en évidence la pertinence d’intervenir de manière à promouvoir la mentalisation, puisqu’il s’agit d’une aptitude liée au bien-être psychologique durant la grossesse chez les parents ayant un vécu traumatique, à leur fonctionnement parental après la naissance de l’enfant et à une diminution des risques de transmission intergénérationnelle des traumas. Le programme STEP sera ensuite présenté, suivi des résultats d’évaluation qui soutiennent ses effets positifs sur le fonctionnement psychologique, la résilience, l’engagement maternel et le fonctionnement conjugal des participantes.

Speakers

Nicolas Berthelot

Nicolas Berthelot received his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Laval University and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Quebec in Montreal and at the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Quebec. He is now assistant professor in mental health in the department of Nursing at the University du Quebec in Trois-Rivieres (UQTR). He is also regular researcher at the Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire sur le développement de l’enfant et la famille (CEIDEF) and at the Groupe de recherche et d’intervention en négligence (GRIN) and associate researcher at the Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec (CRIUSMQ). His current research interests focus on the developmental mechanisms of risk, resilience and psychopathology in the context of childhood trauma and on the intergenerational impacts of child maltreatment. He practices clinical psychology with children, adolescents and adults and aims to integrate research and clinical practice. Nicolas Berthelot collaborates with colleagues from different disciplines in the conception, implementation and evaluation of personalized clinical interventions with survivors of child abuse or neglect in order to prevent a wide array of psychological and physical health problems in this population

Kim Deschênes

Kim Deschênes is a doctoral student in psychology at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and Research Coordinator for the STEP project (Supporting the transition to and engagement in parenthood). Her doctoral thesis focuses on prenatal parental mentalization capacities in parents who have experienced abuse during childhood, and on their child's general and socio-emotional development.

Revitalizing ancestral practices regarding sexuality among Atikamekw fathers

2:00pm – 2:30pm

Quebec's Atikamekw communities, like many of Canada's First Peoples, bear the scars of historical trauma linked to colonization, residential schools and assimilation policies. These experiences have weakened family ties, affected the transmission of traditional knowledge, and contributed to an increase in sexual violence. Today, revitalizing ancestral sexual practices is a fundamental lever for supporting prevention and collective healing. We will present the Kaskinomatosawin initiative, which aims to prevent sexual violence in an Indigenous community, and more specifically the component aimed at strengthening the involvement of fathers in education for positive and respectful sexuality. The results of a qualitative data analysis will be shared as well as a community video which was produced, highlighting the role that everyone - fathers, mothers, elders and caregivers - can play in sexuality education, in a respectful, inclusive and culturally safe approach. This initiative illustrates how cultural revitalization can become an important driver of prevention and reconciliation within communities. 

Speakers

Jacinthe Dion, PhD

Jacinthe Dion, PhD, is a full professor in psychology at the Department of Health Sciences of the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC). She is co-holder of the VISAJ research chair on the Life and Health of Youth and a member of the steering committee of CRIPCAS (Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur les Problèmes Conjugaux et les Agressions Sexuelles) (English title: The Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse). Dr. Dion has directed more than 20 projects funded by major granting agencies and published more than 120 scientific articles and book chapters. Her experience as a clinical psychologist has strongly influenced her desire to focus on the strengths and coping skills of youth and their families. She has developed collaborative approaches involving diverse partners and communities in the research process, recognizing the unique strengths that each brings to the projects being conducted. Her work includes documenting risk and protective factors related to psychosocial adjustment among victims of sexual violence and the implementation of intervention and prevention strategies with Aboriginal peoples.

Mireille Hébert

I work at UQAC on knowledge mobilization projects with Aboriginal communities (Atikamekw and Innu) that aim to prevent sexual violence experienced by youth. I am a PhD student in urban sociology at INRS (Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique) since 2018. I have a master's degree in social communication (psychosociology) (2019) and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (2012) at UQAM. After my career as a video documentarian (1991 to 2001), I collaborated in the development of several knowledge mobilization projects as a project manager (2001 to 2018). These projects were produced, among others, for the Service aux collectivités de l'UQAM (Université du Québec à Montréal), intersectoral youth tables and women's groups. In particular, I have coordinated intersectoral teams (researchers and practitioners) in the development of training, prevention and psychosocial intervention programs for youth and women in specific situations. Among these situations are: the affiliation of youth to street gangs and of teenagers to sexual exploitation networks; love and sexual violence; the valorization of elderly women; citizen involvement and domestic violence in Aboriginal communities

Alice Echaquan

I am an Atikamekw woman from Manawan and mother of 4 children: 3 adopted in spirit, and a beautiful 13 year old Métis daughter. I am a grandmother of a 10 month old grandson. I am the daughter of a craftsman of bark canoes and bark baskets. My father was a tourist guide from Manawan. He was a guardian of the beautiful Nitaskinan Nemiscacik territory. My mother Madeleine was a bead artist of moccasins and mittens, and an excellent cook of traditional dishes. I am the third youngest of 9 children, of which 3 are dead. I have worked for 25 years in the fields of neglect, domestic and sexual abuse, child placement and suicide. I worked for Cirque du Soleil for 15 years, giving children in difficulty the chance to experience beautiful moments through Cirque du Monde workshops. For the past 3 years, I’ve been an expert in sexual assault and I’m trained in a cognitive-behavioral approach. I adapt my interventions to my Atikamekw language, values and traditions. I have been a team leader in my organization, an internal department head and a clinical supervisor. I work in collaboration with various committees to develop intervention projects adapted to my culture. I am a researcher in sexuality education to prevent sexual violence in my beautiful community and I’m a healer for my community.”

Isabelle Lessard, Ph. D.

Isabelle Lessard, Ph. D., est psychologue, cofondatrice de la clinique spécialisée Mozaïk – Espace thérapeutique transculturel, chargée de cours à l’Université de Sherbrooke et stagiaire postdoctorale au Centre d’études interdisciplinaires sur le développement de l’enfant et de la famille (CEIDEF) à l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. Elle s’est spécialisée en intervention posttraumatique et transculturelle auprès des personnes issues de l’immigration et des Premières Nations. Dans le cadre de son stage postdoctoral, elle travaille à la création, l’implantation et l’évaluation de programmes de prévention des violences familiales et sexuelles avec, par et pour les communautés Atikamekw du Québec.

Trauma- and Violence-Informed Research Panel

2:45pm – 4:00pm

What is trauma- and violence-informed research (TVIR)? How is it distinct from other common approaches used in gender-based violence research? What are its strengths and limitations? How can it be applied successfully? Experts in the field will explore these questions through brief presentations and a facilitated Q&A session. The panel will begin with a brief overview of TVIR. Members of the PHAC-funded Trauma- and Violence-Informed Community of Practice will then share what TVIR has meant for their projects, including both successes and challenges applying TVIR in diverse contexts. 

Speakers

Katreena Scott

Dr. Katreena Scott is a Professor, clinical psychologist and Director of the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children at Western University. She currently holds a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Ending Child Abuse and Domestic Violence. Dr. Scott leads an applied research program aimed at ending gender-based violence in violence in family relationships, with specific expertise on addressing abuse perpetration in men. She has authored over 50 articles and book chapters on the development of violent relationships, the efficacy of interventions, the effect of abuse and trauma on children, and on empirically and ethically sound policies for working with abuse perpetrators. She regularly presents to audiences of academics, community-based service providers and to policy-makers to share emerging knowledge from research on gender-based and family violence.

Nicole Jeffrey

Nicole Jeffrey (PhD) is a Postdoctoral Associate at the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children working with the Knowledge Hub team. She is helping support the team’s evaluation of the Trauma- and Violence-Informed Community of Practice. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor (status only) at the University of Windsor. Her research focuses on men’s violence against women, particularly sexual violence, and social norms about consent, masculinity, and normative heterosexuality. In her spare time, she loves to travel and spend time with her family, friends, and dog.

Lori Weeks

Lori E. Weeks, PhD, is a Professor in the School of Nursing at Dalhousie University and holds a cross-appointment in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies. She has expertise in aging and family studies and uses multiple methods to examine care and support services for older adults and their caregivers and factors affecting the health of seniors. Her research often focuses on the needs of vulnerable older adults both in the community and in residential care homes. One stream in Dr. Weeks’ program of research focuses on the abuse of older adults with a particular focus on supports for older women experiencing intimate partner violence. She has served on the Board of the Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and currently serves on the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Aging Advisory Board.

Lorraine Greaves

Dr. Greaves is the founding Executive Director of the Centre of Excellence for Women's Health and its Senior Investigator since 2009. She was previously the Director of the Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children in London ON. She is a medical sociologist and has worked in education, government, hospitals, and academia. She was appointed Chair of Health Canada’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Health Products for Women in 2019. She has received numerous awards for her work, including a Doctorate of the University from the University of Ottawa. She is leading the academic evidence review and the co-development of the workbook, social support curriculum, and facilitator’s guide. She has experience in creating social support group curricula, leading numerous national and international projects and has authored twelve books, 120 journal articles, and numerous reports, guidance documents, workbooks, toolkits and articles on sex and gender science, intimate partner violence and substance use.

Francine Darroch

Dr. Francine Darroch is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Carleton University. She is an interdisciplinary researcher with expertise in qualitative health research, public health, inequities in pregnancy and physical activity, maternal health, and the intersections of racism, gender-based violence, substance abuse, trauma, and structural violence. As founder of the Health and Wellness Equity Research Group at Carleton University, Dr. Darroch leads feminist participatory action research that focuses on leveraging physical activity to improve the quality of life of self-identified women and their families. Her current work aims to address inequities in physical activity for pregnant and parenting individuals and families through trauma- and violence-informed approaches to physical activity. While Dr. Darroch’s research is predominantly focused on self-identified women and children, her work also extends to explore and advocate for gender-sensitive programming for fathers living in marginalizing circumstances. Dr. Darroch’s main overarching goal is to co-create programs and resources to increase access to physical activity, enhance social cohesion, community connections, and improve overall health by way of addressing individual, systemic, and structural barriers to health and well-being.

Jacinthe Dion

Jacinthe Dion, PhD, is a full professor in psychology at the Department of Health Sciences of the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC). She is co-holder of the VISAJ research chair on the Life and Health of Youth and a member of the steering committee of CRIPCAS (Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur les Problèmes Conjugaux et les Agressions Sexuelles) (English title: The Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse). Dr. Dion has directed more than 20 projects funded by major granting agencies and published more than 120 scientific articles and book chapters. Her experience as a clinical psychologist has strongly influenced her desire to focus on the strengths and coping skills of youth and their families. She has developed collaborative approaches involving diverse partners and communities in the research process, recognizing the unique strengths that each brings to the projects being conducted. Her work includes documenting risk and protective factors related to psychosocial adjustment among victims of sexual violence and the implementation of intervention and prevention strategies with Aboriginal peoples.