Project History: The McQuaid Inquiry The Response to Woman Abuse: Policy and Protocol Initiative is a project of the Coalition for Woman Abuse Policy and Protocol in PEI and was conceived as a response to the McQuaid Inquiry. This inquiry into family violence policies and procedures for the police and Department of Justice was conducted by Justice C.R. McQuaid after the 1991 shooting murder of a Summerside woman by her estranged husband. The resulting report indicates a need to develop family violence policies and protocols for service providers in Prince Edward Island with particular emphasis on the area of justice and police. 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 to women who have been abused by their intimate partners. An inappropriate response may: result in women not receiving much needed support discourage a disclosure of the abuse delay intervention which could result in further abuse Over the past two decades there have been a number of efforts to develop family violence policies and protocols in Prince Edward Island, specifically for Hospital Emergency, Police and Victim Services staff. Other service providers have referenced family violence in policies or protocols not specific to woman abuse. There remain, however, some deficits as well as areas which require updating. Did you know... ...that, statistically, the family is the most dangerous place to be in PEI? ...that Transition House Association responded to 8014 calls in 1999? ...that Family Violence is estimated to cost Canadians over $4.2 billion per year?