1      Introduction The History In 1991, a Summerside woman was shot to death in her place of work by her estranged husband. After her murder, Justice C.R. McQuaid conducted an inquiry into family violence policies and procedures for the police and Department of Justice. The resulting report indicated a need to develop family violence policies and protocols in Prince Edward Island. Over the past two decades various organizations have made efforts to develop policies and protocols. There are many agencies and organizations, within both government and the community, however, which do not have any policy relating to responses by service providers to family violence. Not having comprehensive, collaborative and appropriate policies in place, or having gaps in existing policies, can result in inappropriate and unsafe responses by service providers. This can result in women not receiving the support they need and can also discourage them from talking about the abuse. An inappropriate response can delay intervention and result in further abuse. Having a co-ordinated response within government and community organizations can ensure that women receive safe and respectful responses from service providers across the Island. Woman Abuse The Response to Woman Abuse: Policy and Protocol Initiative is focussed on woman abuse in relationships, including various kinds of intimate relationships in which a female is abused by her partner such as husband-wife, common law, boyfriend-girlfriend, same-sex partner or former relationship. Woman Abuse can include many forms of abusive behaviour including emotional abuse, psychological abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, destruction of property, injury to pets, physical assault, sexual assault and homicide. The goal of the Coalition is to reduce violence towards women by bringing together survivors of woman abuse in relationships; community organizations; and front line service providers and policy makers in the areas of Education,   Justice, Health and Social Services and professional associations to establish policy and protocol which encourage safe, effective and appropriate responses to victims of family violence by service providers, within both government and the community; and encourage disclosure and intervention at the earliest point; and to plan strategies for effective implementation and sustainability. Information Sources On April 22, 1999, a workshop was held in Charlottetown which included 65 survivors of woman abuse, community organizations which advocate for victims, front line service providers and policy makers. A combination of panel presentation and participatory exercises aided the committee to gather information needed to determine the gaps and needs in policy and protocol for responses to woman abuse within relationships in Prince Edward Island. This Policy and Protocol Gap Map includes the information gathered at the workshop as well as information gathered through interviews with survivors of woman abuse which were conducted by the Woman Abuse and the PEI Legal System Research Team of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research from January to March 1999 in communities across PEI. From these information sources came some clear messages. Those messages will be highlighted and annotated throughout the text of this document. Quote boxes appearing in the document are direct quotes (*names have been changed) from women interviewed in PEI in 1999 regarding their experiences during the last 10 years..