5      Identified Gaps in Policy and Protocol       Message 10 There is a need for more written policy which includes input from survivors of woman abuse and community organizations, regular evaluation and sensitivity training. While there are some written woman abuse policies and protocols in PEI, it was noted that most of the written policy is governmental and is mainly legislation. Participants commented that there seems to be very little written policy for community organizations. It was also noted that very few written policies and procedures outline, step-by-step, how to work one on one with women in abuse situations and what other services are available. Policies and services need to move from offender-focussed to victim-centered. They must allow for a speedy response and be flexible enough that they don't create gaps in service by their rigidity. The service provider must be able to respond to individual women based on their individual needs. Once the initial response is made, the protocol should provide for a follow up response. Involve Survivors in Development It is important to tap into the expertise of survivors of woman abuse and community advocates by including their participation in all policy development. Making sure that the experiences of adult survivors of child abuse, senior women, women with disabilities and women abused by their same sex partners, Aboriginal women and women of different economic, educational and social backgrounds are included will enhance the service providers' ability to respond effectively. Including a mechanism to allow for feedback from clients will ensure accountability of service providers. Provincial Framework Provincial leadership is required in policy development to encourage other sectors, such as the private and community sectors, to develop woman abuse protocols. A provincial anti-violence framework through which all existing and new policies must be screened could include a model protocol, or "best practices" sample policy, which other organizations could use as a basis for their own protocols. Communications It is important that all service providers be aware of woman abuse policies and protocols in their organization and that protocols not remain internal. Sharing their contents with the broad community will increase their effectiveness. It is important that the policy or protocol is concise and clear, using plain language. Creating some short form material to accompany the policy can make it more accessible. Materials should be accessible for all levels of literacy. Workshop participants suggested including preambles that address systemic discrimination and stereotyping of women in new policies and protocols. This will assist service providers to appreciate the importance of the policy. Policy Flexibility Policies and procedures have to be flexible so that service providers can work together with individual women to develop the best options for them in each particular situation. Who's at the Table? Workshop participants noted many who should be involved in the development and revision of policy and protocol for responding to woman abuse in Prince Edward Island: victims victim advocates truly recovered abusers women's organizations front line service providers Health and Social Services community organizations community members Financial Assistance community leaders Mental Health Child Welfare lawyers judges nurses police clergy Parole doctors chaplains Probation Legal Aid Corrections Family Court Elizabeth Fry Turning Point Federal Justice Salvation Army Victim Services Crown Attorneys PEI Law Society John Howard Society Provincial policy sector Canadian Bar Association Emergency Response people community resource programs Victim Services Advisory Committee Community Legal Information Association Training Because policies can't change attitudes, along with any policy or protocol that a service develops, must go training that sensitizes service providers to the realities of woman abuse. Workshop participants felt that the training should be compulsory, emphasize prevention and be socially sensitive. They felt that the areas covered should include: in-depth realities of woman abuse, including emotional, financial, sexual and physical abuse ways to respond that are flexible enough to meet each woman's needs problem solving and conflict management skills personal issues and attitudes about woman abuse awareness of the resources available in the community intervention/assessment skills training to assist the service provider to be pro-active understanding the policy/procedures Evaluation and Sustainability We all know of policies that sit on a shelf. It is important that we don't create wonderful policies and then forget why we did so - to help victims of woman abuse. Feedback from people experiencing violence and community advocates is important. Making sure that policies are updated, evaluated, relevant, gender-sensitive, integrated and victim centered can help us ensure that we are providing the best possible service for victims. Creating a mechanism which holds us accountable for the response we provide can only make the service better. To sustain the effectiveness of the policies and protocols, continual training and evaluation is necessary. Protecting the Protections We need to be careful that the laws we have in place to protect victims aren't manipulated by abusers and used against the victims. "If I wasn't so intimidated by the system, I could have pressed charges against him earlier on in the relationship, and by being alone, and being too immature to realize that you could stand out there on your own ... and to think that a woman can do it on their own, which is how a lot of the husband's keep their wives in. ... [I]n this case I was the one who was arrested and tried for the [abuse]... he was playing the victim, he abused me and then he got back at me, the reason he did it was because he knew ... a little more about the law than I did and he was the first to act, it was his last piece of information or his last kind of move that he could use to try to control the situation and he wanted to use the court to do it." Support of Front-Line Staff Employers need to support front line service providers to implement safe and effective policies by providing them with adequate resources. Responding to woman abuse is a high stress, and sometimes, high conflict task. It is important to acknowledge that stress and provide resources to ensure emotional support. It was recognized by workshop participants that more resources, including adequate staffing and training, are required to support service providers and respond effectively. What Makes a Policy Work Well? During the workshop, participants were asked to tell us what works well with regard to woman abuse policy and protocol. This is what they said: the policy is accompanied by extensive, mandatory training that includes hearing survivors' stories it includes mandatory reporting of abuse abused women seeking service are given priority over other consumers the approach is victim-centered there is solid working relationship, or team approach, between agencies and organizations that are responding to abuse the response is sensitive, caring and immediate new staff are trained in responding to woman abuse immediately all staff receive written policies the "higher-ups" commit resources to implement the policy staff are held accountable for their response the policy attempts to balance power between the victim and abuser it includes mandatory intervention focussing on the needs of children victim's needs are identified and fulfilled (transportation, child care, etc.) there is support for front-line workers the policy is developed, evaluated and updated regularly in collaboration with victims, community and other service providers confidentiality is emphasized the policy is flexible and can fit a specific woman's needs it is made public in a way that is accessible (plain language, conscious of literacy levels) it includes a step-by-step format it is gender-sensitive it includes decision-making opportunities for women it acknowledges systemic discrimination of women, and specifically women with disabilities and senior women it provides an always available emergency response it provides for a province-wide response it provides for follow-up services re: emotional and physical health it provides a screening process for service providers to ensure appropriate staffing of front-line positions