Western Canada’s Largest In-Person Conference on Domestic, Sexual & Family Violence
Concurrent Session Booking Now Open
Already purchased a Diverse Voices Conference ticket, you’re invited to choose your concurrent sessions — these are the customizable breakout sessions where you can select topics most relevant to your work and interests.
Diverse voices 2025
Session Streams
This year’s concurrent sessions are organized into streams to make it easier to find what matters most to you. Each session displays one or more streams that reflect the primary focus of the presentation. Some sessions naturally span multiple areas—when that happens, you’ll see all relevant stream tags listed to help you determine if the content is right for you.
Innovative strategies to prevent family violence, addressing societal norms and root causes to cultivate long-term change.
Initiatives that emphasize awareness, education, and advocacy to mitigate risks of harm.
Data-driven models showcasing measurable impacts in violence reduction and societal shift.
Sharing community-centered wisdom and approaches rooted in Indigenous perspectives to foster healing and connection.
Bridging traditional Indigenous practices with Western advocacy tools for a holistic support system.
Highlighting successful examples of Indigenous programming and policies that uplift Indigenous voices in violence prevention.
Examining the criminal and civil systems, highlighting their role in addressing domestic violence and supporting survivors and offenders.
Identifying gaps in legislative frameworks to provide equitable access to justice.
Showcasing innovative programs within legal systems that incorporate survivor-centered approaches.
Exploring alternative response, including rehabilitation, restorative justice and circle approaches.
Shaping future generations through engagement, education, and accountability to break cycles of harm and violence.
Highlighting grassroots movements that foster healthy masculinities and community accountability.
Exploring mentorship models that empower boys and men to become proactive allies in prevention efforts.
Identifying unique challenges and solutions tailored to isolated communities, empowering local resilience and support networks.
Utilizing technology and other innovations to bridge gaps in access to family violence services.
Showcasing community-driven efforts that leverage local resources to strengthen rural support infrastructures.
Exploring innovative models of service delivery that ensure survivors and communities receive timely, accessible, and comprehensive support.
Showcasing innovative approaches to supporting survivors through trauma-informed, culturally grounded and equity-centered service models. This could include various service frameworks that meet the needs of diverse populations.
Highlighting collaborative service models that break down silos between sectors—such as health, housing, justice, education, and social services, as well as between various service providers, survivors and communities—to provide holistic, wraparound supports.
Addressing systemic barriers and fostering adaptive solutions to meet diverse needs in urban, rural, and remote settings.
Session 1
Thursday, November 6, 2025
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Declarations of Truth Presentation: Creating A Survivor-Centred Alternative Model for Transformative Accountability & Justice
Nneka MacGregor
Gender-based violence (GBV) is a tool – a dangerous and often lethal weapon used to instil fear. For those who survive, their lives are disrupted, characterized by ongoing trauma, chronic pain and social isolation caused not just by experiencing the violence, but resulting from instances where justice for them has been denied. Those who have caused harm, on the other hand, face few consequences, with little obligation to take responsibility, meaning that for them, justice is evaded. The importance of establishing frameworks and strategies that actually prevent and protect individuals and communities is critically important, given the alarming rates of GBV in families, workplaces and society at large. GBV does not discriminate – cutting across all socio-economic backgrounds, whether as the victim or the aggressor.
However, that doesn’t mean it impacts everyone equally. Access to justice for a survivor can look different depending on their race, ethnicity, ability, age, where they identify on the gender spectrum and where they live. Higher rates of violence, with lower access to services and supports, are particularly concerning for Indigenous and Black women and girls, the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, those who identify as living with a disability, and those living in rural versus urban settings. By the same token, accused/convicted individuals who are Indigenous, Black or racialized are overly represented in the criminal legal system, not because they have a higher propensity for violence, but because of the embedded anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism that underpins many of the systems that govern our interactions with the state. This over-represented, but under-supported reality results in unequal treatment for these communities, exacerbating the harms already suffered, and thereby necessitates an understanding of intersectional justice in ways that the criminal legal system is not designed to do.
Survivors of gender-based violence have been saying that the criminal legal system and its one-size-fits-all approach continues to fail not just them, but those who have caused harm. It fails to provide opportunities for harm-doers to take responsibility for their actions and be accountable to the people they have harmed. It fails to provide avenues for survivors to find justice, even in its most rudimentary form. This presentation showcases the Transformative Accountability & Justice Engagement (TAJE) process developed by WomenatthecentrE, based on insights from diverse survivors of gendered sexual violence, with broad application to other forms of GBV, including intimate partner violence. The TAJE model, the first of its kind in Canada, wraps both the person harmed and the person who caused harm with care, compassion, kindness and love, as a way to bring healing and prevent future harm.
Nneka MacGregor is co-founder and Executive Director of the Women’s Centre for Social Justice, better known as WomenatthecentrE, a unique non-profit created by/for women, trans, and gender-diverse survivors of GBV. A Black Intersectional abolitionist feminist, international speaker, and Transformative Accountability/Justice practitioner, Nneka is an expert advisory panel member of the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability and sits on several Boards and committees, including the Federal Advisory Council on the Federal Strategy Against GBV. She co-founded the Black Femicide Canada Council, and her research focuses on sexual violence, and the intersection of strangulation, Traumatic Brain Injury and GBV. She received the 2019 PINK Concussions Award and the 2020 YWCA Women of Distinction Social Justice Award and one of two 2024 Activists-in-Residence (AiR) at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada.
Understanding Stalking Behaviour and Criminal Harassment
Jeff Anderson
This presentation delves into the intricate and often misunderstood world of stalking behaviour and the crime of criminal harassment. We will explore the complexities surrounding these behaviours, shedding light on the myths and social factors that contribute to stalking, including understanding how social media has romanticized stalking behaviour and its impact on public perception. This session will focus on stalking behaviour as it relates to intimate partner and domestic violence relationships, highlighting the unique challenges and risks involved.
Key topics to be covered include:
• Profiles of Stalkers: A look at the different types of stalkers, their motivations, and behaviours.
• Strategies Used by Victims: An examination of the various strategies victims employ to cope with and counteract stalking behaviour.
• Impact on Victims: A look at the impact Criminal Harassment has on victims and the trauma it can cause.
• Evaluating Threat Levels: Assessing the threat level, including risk factors and warning signs.
• Mitigating Risk: Practical tips and strategies for reducing the risk, as well as steps to take if someone is being targeted.
This session will navigate through these critical aspects, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of stalking and criminal harassment, and equipping audience members with the knowledge to recognize, respond to, and mitigate these behaviours.
Jeff Anderson graduated from the University of Alberta with a B.A. in Criminology and is now a Detective with the Calgary Police Service. Detective Anderson has been a member of the Calgary Police Service for 25 years and is currently the Investigative Training Coordinator. As a Constable he worked as an investigator in the Domestic Conflict Unit. After being promoted to the rank of Detective he has worked in several areas including the Homicide Unit, General Investigations Unit, the Sexual Assault Investigative Unit and spent 2.5 years as the Supervisor of the Domestic Violence Team.
Where do You Run When there's Nowhere to Go? How we can help survivors of domestic violence in isolated communities
Sara Kohtala
Sara will outline the core findings of her research on barriers to safety planning and best practices for supporting female victims of domestic violence in rural, remote, and Northern (RRN) regions. Research methodologies, data collection procedures, and participant demographics will be reviewed. The research questions and current gaps in the existing literature will be highlighted.
The issues present in RRN communities that render safety planning (strategies survivors use to protect themselves from harm) more difficult will be explored, including victim-blaming, confidentiality concerns, geographical barriers, access to firearms, and distrust in systems. This will provide context and understanding of the difficulties traditional support systems (i.e. police, therapists, medical professionals, friends and family) face in providing safety in these communities. Examples of these issues from survivors’ first-hand accounts will be provided.
Identity intersections of domestic violence survivors will be addressed. The ways in which race, class, and ability impact how domestic violence is responded to will be discussed.
Four main best practices for supporting survivors of domestic violence in RRN communities will be highlighted. These best practices include: meeting survivors where they’re at, believing and validating survivors’ experiences, providing non-judgmental support, and providing appropriate resources. Examples of these best practices in action using first-hand accounts from survivors will be provided. Implications of these best practices for professionals in the field will be discussed and practical examples for implementation will be given. The ways in which these best practices can be implemented by members in RRN communities (i.e. friends, family, and strangers) will also be addressed, especially considering that these are service-sparse environments and community members are needed to fill these gaps.
Based on this research, three main policy changes to improve the ways in which domestic violence is responded to will be proposed. The first involves providing public education to change attitudes about domestic violence in RRN communities including mandatory training and education seminars in workplaces and schools. Providing professional education around domestic violence for police officers will be explored as a second policy change. Considering that police officers are usually the first points of contact for survivors, paired with the generally negative experiences of survivors when working with police, more formal education on domestic violence can significantly improve responses from police. Finally, improving health and mental health responses to domestic violence will be discussed as a third proposed policy change. These improvements may include implementation of mandatory screening for domestic violence, more collaboration between services to lower response times, and the potential for virtual services to be offered.
This information will be delivered through an oral presentation with accompanying slides, followed by a question and answer period.
Sara Kohtala is a registered psychotherapist located in Hamilton, Ontario. She completed her masters thesis research under the guidance of Dr. Peter Jaffe, the founder of the Center for Research and Education on Violence against Women and Children. Her research focused on barriers to safety planning and best practices for supporting female victims of domestic violence in rural remote and Northern regions. She then went on to publish this research in the Journal of Family Violence in 2022. She currently supports victims of domestic violence through high-quality, trauma informed psychotherapy services, focusing on providing a safe and non-judgemental atmosphere.
More Than a Safe Place: Invisible Barriers and Shared Wisdom in Second-Stage Shelters
Ebony Rempel
This session explores the complex and often overlooked realities facing women residing in second-stage shelters after experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). Drawing from a grounded theory study involving 20 women across Alberta, the presentation will unpack the metaphor of “navigating the maze” to highlight the intricate pathways women follow in search of safety, information, and support.
The session will introduce five interconnected themes that emerged from the study: the Elusiveness of Entry into shelters, the Full-Time Job of managing services, tensions between personal needs and institutional policies, the experience of Endless Corridors of decision-making, and the Shared Wisdom developed among shelter residents. These themes are not just theoretical—they are lived experiences that reveal how structural violence, policy restrictions, and systemic silos impact women’s ability to rebuild their lives.
Through compelling participant narratives, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges survivors face when navigating siloed systems like justice, income support, housing, and childcare. The session will also explore how power dynamics, discrimination, and institutional surveillance within shelter systems can reinforce feelings of marginalization, particularly for Indigenous and immigrant women, while peer support networks often provide essential guidance and validation.
This presentation will be especially valuable for front-line practitioners, policymakers, shelter administrators, and researchers committed to trauma-informed, equity-based approaches. Attendees will walk away with practical insights and recommendations for improving service coordination, enhancing client autonomy, and reimagining shelter policy through a more transparent and survivor-centered lens.
Ultimately, this session challenges the dominant focus on individual behavior in IPV responses and calls for a broader shift toward systemic change—addressing housing insecurity, digital access, and structural inequality. It advocates for practices that honor women’s agency, foster community, and remove barriers to long-term safety and independence.
Dr. Ebony Rempel is the CEO of YWCA Banff and has been working in the field of gender equity since 2010. Her doctorate work is focused on understanding the support, information, and service needs of women who access second-stage shelters. Ebony brings a preventive lens to her work through community engagement and has presented at over 30 conferences across the globe. Ebony is embedded into the community and is passionate about creating inclusive spaces. She works hard to bridge academic research with direct service delivery and comes to the work with genuine curiosity. She believes in working from a trauma-informed, harm-reduction approach with clients, community, and employees. Ebony lives in Banff with her partner Jamie and sons Bobby and Seth, where they love to hike, bike, and snowboard.
Tastawiyiniwak: The In-between People. Creating Inclusive Rites of Passage for Two Spirit and Transgender Youth
Dr. James Makokis
Dr. Makokis will expand on the seven stages of life teachings from the Keynote and focus on pubertal rites of passage in the form of Kihkosimowin – Fasting Ceremonies. For the past five years, Dr. Makokis has worked with others to create and develop inclusive rites of passage ceremonies for two-spirit, transgender youth, and their families as part of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Gender and Wellness Grant. He will share the impact of creating a courageous, inclusive, brave, safe space for queer youth, their families, and larger community and invite allies to participate meaningfully in rebuilding the Nehiyawak health/medical system. These teachings will speak to preventing violence and disrupting pathways to abuse by strengthening intergenerational connections, fostering acceptance, and restoring balance and belonging within families and communities.
By unpacking imposed homophobic and transphobic ideologies, core components of Colonial violence imposed on successive generations of Indigenous Peoples, Dr. Makokis will frame the current proliferation of transphobia in present society as an extension of this ongoing gender-based violence.
Dr. James Makokis is a leading figure in North American healthcare, renowned for pioneering one of the most progressive family medical clinics committed to serving both the LGBTQ2S+ and First Nation peoples across Canada. One of few Indigenous physicians in Canada, he has received International recognition that stems not only from his role as a physician but also from his authorship in the fields of Indigenous health, transgender health and culturally sensitive care. A proud Cree, Two-Spirit physician from the Saddle Lake First Nation in Northern Alberta, Dr. Makokis is a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and Two-Spirit visibility. He actively challenges stereotypes and stigmas faced by Two-Spirit individuals within and outside Indigenous communities, dedicating his efforts to education, inclusivity, and acceptance.
Alongside his partner, Anthony Johnson, Dr. Makokis gained international fame when they triumphed in Season 7 of The Amazing Race Canada. They used this platform to heighten awareness about discrimination and the mistreatment of those labelled as “different.” They currently reside on Treaty 6 Territory, outside of Edmonton. Dr. Makokis’s unique approach to medicine involves a blend of traditional Cree healing practices and Western medicine. His recognition of the importance of cultural identity and spirituality in the healing process has led to an innovative approach to addressing health disparities in Indigenous communities. He actively promotes empowering Indigenous communities with the knowledge and tools to manage their own health.
Facing considerable adversity at the onset of his career, Dr. Makokis learned to harness his resilience, transforming his struggles into a source of strength and empathy. Mentorship from various Canadian and Indigenous leaders, such as travelling alongside former Governor General Michaëlle Jean on a diplomatic mission to Brazil and having the rare opportunity to work next to Dr. Patch Adams in the Amazon Jungle. He also continues to connect with Elders and Knowledge Keepers in the community, contributing to his understandings, teachings and practices to help shape his views within Western and Indigenous society. Internationally recognized for his holistic approach blending Western and Indigenous Medicine, he has become of Canada’s most well-known voices for the advocacy of human rights, access and equality by breaking down barriers and stereotypes and challenging discriminatory views towards First Nation and LGBTQ2S+ Peoples.
Dr. Makokis’s academic achievements include a Master’s in Health Science from the University of Toronto in 2006, graduation from the University of Toronto’s medical school in 2010, and the completion of the Aboriginal Family Medicine Residency Training Program at the University of British Columbia in 2012. He has taught at the Yellowhead Tribal College, the University of Toronto, and the University of Alberta, focusing on Indigenous health, Indigenous cultural practices, and traditional medicine. He also received certification from the Aboriginal Family Medicine Training Program and served as the Spokesperson for the National Aboriginal Health Organization’s Role Model Program for many years. He is a recipient of numerous awards, a member of various boards and councils, and is continuously involved in community service.
As a keynote speaker and thought leader. Dr. James Makokis is a powerful voice for LGBTQ2S+ and Indigenous equality. He is one of Canada’s leading experts on twospirit resilience and decolonizing medicine with a large focus on equity and acess within diversity and inclusion strategy. Dr. Makokis shares his personal experiences, Indigenous knowledge, and compassionate understanding. His aim is to celebrate each person’s uniqueness and inspire others to self-improvement for the collective betterment of the human experience. Dr. James Makokis continues to create a lasting impact on Indigenous health and well-being through his tireless efforts. He serves as an inspiration to many, demonstrating that cultural pride, resilience, and education can foster positive change. With his compassion, knowledge, and unwavering dedication, he is helping to shape a future where Indigenous communities have access to equitable, culturally appropriate, and holistic healthcare.
X: @DrMakokis
Instagram: @creeture82
Violent Extremism and Radicalization of Youth
Samantha McLennan
Online safety for kids is a growing concern across the globe. Three big subjects of discussion when it comes to online safety and kids is the growing use of artificial intelligence, sextortion scams, and kids interacting with strangers while playing videogames. One of our growing concerns when it comes to online safety and children is violent extremism and radicalization of youth.
This session answers the question: what is violent extremism, and more importantly, how do we help kids who are falling into these rabbit holes?
Violent extremism is the beliefs and actions of individuals or groups who use or advocate for violence to achieve ideological, religious, or political goals. Violent extremism is often linked to other forms of politically or socially motivated violence, extortion, sextortion, and child sexual abuse material. All violent extremism is concerning, regardless of connections to any religious, political, national, ethnic, or cultural groups.
Lonely kids online are easy targets for exploitation, radicalization, and violent extremism. Especially our young men.
The first half of this presentation is focused on what is violent extremism and what to look out for in kids (iconography, phrases, titles, groups, behaviours etc). The second half is focused on “and now what?” meaning how do we help kids who are already involved, and how do we prevent others from falling into these online gangs.
I also address disclosure training in this session: a child has told me something, how do I respond? How do I report?
It Is Not a Game! A Resource for Children and Youth Exposed to Strangulation in Domestic Violence
Morag McLean & Pat Vargas
The Canadian Pediatric Society defines Child Maltreatment as “any incident of a child or youth witnessing, hearing, being involved in, or being aware of any form of violence involving their caregivers or family members” This definition includes a child experiencing or witnessing physical aggression, physical assault and strangulation.
Literature and data regarding family violence and strangulation perpetrated against children and youth is extremely limited. However, what we know is that in Canada in 2021, 24,504 children and youth were victims of police-reported family violence, with the rate of violence against girls being almost twice the rate of violence against boys. Unfortunately, we do not typically learn about child maltreatment and strangulation until there is a life-threatening injury, or fatality of a child.
At Catholic Social Services Lurana Shelter in Edmonton, we have been and continue to be committed to increasing the safety of our child and youth clients. Lurana shelter childcare staff have advanced training in identifying and supporting children and youth who have been exposed to or have been victims of strangulation. Our work with children experiencing strangulation has been limited due to the lack of suitable child-focused resources to use with them. To address this gap in resources, we have developed two developmentally appropriate resources for children and youth who have either been victims of strangulation, have been witness to strangulation, or who are at risk of strangulation.
It is Not a Game! our colouring and activity book is designed for early elementary children, and It is Not a Game! graphic novel is geared towards late elementary early junior high school children. The books tell the story of two siblings playing a video game, they begin to fight which results in a sibling against sibling strangulation. The story addresses the possible reasons the child used strangulation, how each of the siblings responded to the escalation, and the support they and their sibling received after the incident. Safety planning activities are a key component of this book.
Included with each book is a Helper Guide to be used by staff assisting children with this very troubling and common experience. The primary goals of this project are to provide much needed client (child and parent) and staff resources, and to increase the safety and wellbeing of our children while they are in our care, and when they depart shelter.
Morag McLean is a Registered Nurse and Domestic Violence Specialist with over 18 years of experience in this sector. As a shelter nurse at Lurana and LaSalle Shelters, Morag provides nursing services to women and children fleeing domestic violence. Morag has developed strangulation identification resources and trainings for local and international victim advocates in community services, women’s shelters, health care, criminal justice, and child protection services.
Pat Vargas is a Director at Catholic Social Services Edmonton. In her role, Pat manages a range of critical programs, including group homes for children in care, support for high-risk youth, shelters for women and children affected by abuse, and intervention programs for seniors experiencing violence. She also oversees housing initiatives for marginalized communities. Pat is a board member of the Global Network of Women’s Shelters since its inception in 2009. She is a member of RIRE and was one of the architects of bringing 11 countries together to develop a protocol to transfer victims of human trafficking from shelter to shelter internationally. With over 25 years of leadership experience, Pat Vargas was appointed to the Alberta Government’s Human Trafficking Task Force from 2020 to 2022, contributing her expertise to the province’s anti-trafficking efforts. Pat holds an MBA from the University of Alberta
Session 2
Thursday, November 6, 2025
2:45 – 4:15 p.m.
Intimate Partner Coercive Control and Children
Dr. Lisa Fontes
Intimate Partner Abuse harms children. This workshop explores how it happens and what to do about it. We will discuss various ways this dynamic plays out, including direct physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of the children, economic abuse, “procedural abuse” involving the courts and/or child protection systems, and obligating the spousal victim to harm the children. Some abusers deliberately harm children to control and punish their partners and ex-partners.
Learning Objectives:
After this training participants will:
1) Be able to explain the harms to children of coercive control domestic abuse
2) Understand how intimate partner abuse disempowers protective mothers
4) Improve their ability to intervene in coercive control partner and child abuse
Lisa A. Fontes, PhD, is an internationally known expert on coercive control, child abuse, intimate partner abuse, and sexual violence. As a researcher, professor, expert witness, and author, she works to protect vulnerable people from violence. She has appeared on CNN and been quoted in The New York Times, USA Today, the Boston Globe, and numerous other outlets.
Dr. Fontes has written many scholarly journal articles and the books:
- Invisible Chains: Overcoming Coercive Control in Your Intimate Relationship,
- Interviewing Clients Across Cultures
- Child Abuse and Culture: Working with Diverse Families
Dr. Fontes is a Senior Lecturer II at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. She has worked as a psychotherapist. She has conducted research around the world and has been a university professor for more than thirty years.
Dr. Fontes is a popular conference speaker and workshop facilitator, and writes for publications including Domesticshelters.org and PsychologyToday.com, where more than two million people have read her columns.
Dr. Fontes has been qualified in more than twenty U.S. States as an expert witness in family, civil, and criminal court on a range of cases concerning trauma, coercive control, best interests of the child, sexual violence, domestic abuse, child abuse, child development, sexual harassment, parental alienation, and more.
Domestic Violence in Autistic Lives: Calls for a critical, intersectional approach
Stephanie Ehret
This presentation offers a conceptual framework for understanding domestic violence (DV) experienced by Autistic people, grounded in disability justice and critical feminist perspectives. This framework challenges deficit-based models and centres the lived experiences, autonomy, and expertise of Autistic people. It also foregrounds criticisms of structural inequalities, societal stigma and ableism, and gendered power dynamics.
The urgency of this work is underscored by growing evidence that Autistic people face disproportionately high rates of interpersonal victimization not only from intimate partners but from family, carers and others. Despite this, their experiences remain under-researched, misinterpreted, and poorly addressed across service and legal systems, reinforcing stigma, systemic neglect and barriers to safety and support.
This presentation will draw on findings from recent qualitative and systematic research that complicate mainstream understandings of DV. It calls for ethical and inclusive understandings of the intersections between autism, DV and justice, and it echoes researchers’ and advocates’ demands for improvements to current policies and practices. It advocates for centering Autistic voices in the co-production of knowledge, support systems, and justice responses.
Dr. Stephanie Ehret is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Trent University. She is a critical criminologist, and her research examines ways in which the criminal justice system upholds and perpetuates gendered, raced, classed, and ableist social inequalities, and she explores principles and extralegal options for doing justice. She has critically examined restorative justice principles and social remedies for responding to intimate partner violence. Her present work critically analyzes autism and criminal justice, and it includes an examination of a filicide case in Toronto, Ontario. Her work is informed by insights from Autistic friends and family members.
Safe Spaces, Stronger Communities: Bridging Barriers with Technology
Vanessa Anstey
During the Covid 19 Pandemic, the need for increased methods of communication was critical and an integral part of the safety planning process during this time. To increase accessibility to individuals reaching out for support, we incorporated a text line and webchat into our helpline services. When picking up the phone is not the safest or easiest option, the implementation of such has aimed to reduce barriers for individuals seeking support for themselves and/or loved ones.
The Key Takeaways of the session would include:
– Insights on reducing digital barriers for survivors and other community members
– Strategies for enhancing digital safety planning
– Practical steps for implementation of accessible helpline services
I will examples of enhanced safety planning through digital formats. I will speak to process of implementation of the enhanced accessible helpline, and provide resources and tools for implementation of such for other client serving programs.
Vanessa Anstey is the Shelter Supervisor for Phoenix Safe House ( Emergency Shelter) with the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society. She has worked in the social services and non-profit world for the past 15 years, with 11 of those years being spent with the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter supporting her community.
Strangulation Signs, Harms and Consequences in Domestic Violence
Mayra Jarillo Alvarado (moderator)
Constable Joel Phillips (panelist)
Detective Sean Glydon (panelist)
Cassandra Rose (panelist)
Dr. Pauline Head (panelist)
Constable Joel Phillips (panelist)
Detective Sean Glydon (panelist)
Cassandra Rose (panelist)
Dr. Pauline Head (panelist)
Strangulation is one of the most dangerous, yet often overlooked, forms of intimate partner violence (IPV). Despite its prevalence, it remains underreported and misunderstood, frequently escaping the attention of both the public and professionals. Research consistently identifies strangulation as the most lethal form of IPV, with victims facing a dramatically increased risk of fatality. Early recognition and intervention are vital to saving lives and preventing further harm.
In response to this urgent issue, a Strangulation Working Group was established in 2021, bringing together experts from Calgary, Edmonton, and surrounding regions. This collaborative initiative unites professionals from the domestic violence and abuse sector to address critical gaps in community knowledge, service provision, and support for individuals affected by strangulation and domestic violence.
By fostering a culture of shared learning and up-to-date practices, the group aims to empower practitioners with the tools and information they need to respond effectively.
The Calgary Police Service receives more than 20,000 domestic-related calls each year. Every case is carefully assessed by trained risk assessors, with the most dangerous offenders closely monitored by the Domestic Violence Team. Notably, the presence of strangulation is a key factor in these risk assessments, reflecting its growing incidence and grave implications within domestic violence cases.
Medical emergency services are also seeing a rise in strangulation victims coming through emergency services.
The panel will feature a multidisciplinary team, including a Calgary emergency physician and law enforcement that are all domestic violence advocates.
Illuminate the warning signs and physical indicators of strangulation, which can be life-threatening.
Discuss the latest diagnostic approaches and screening tools for professionals for Law Enforcement, Social Work, Victim Services, Shelter Work, Court Services, Health, Probation, Education, Mental Health Professionals.
Provide essential questions to ask when strangulation is suspected, ensuring that victims receive the right support and medical attention.
Provide Offering real-world examples to participants to deepen strangulation consequences to victims.
Our aim is to deepen your expertise, connect with leading professionals, and help develop innovative solutions that address the unique challenges of strangulation in urban, rural, and remote communities. Together, we can ensure that every case is recognized and every survivor receives the support they deserve.
This session is designed to equip attendees with practical knowledge and actionable strategies.
All speakers have taken advanced strangulation training.
Constable Joel Phillips:
Member of the Calgary Police Service since June 10, 2013, spending the first decade of his career in District 4 patrol, where Joel responded to thousands of domestic violence calls ranging from minor disputes to domestic homicides. Through this frontline experience, he developed a strong interest in the complexities of domestic violence investigations, which led to two secondments with the Domestic Violence Team (DVT), specialized enforcement and offender management unit responsible for investigating the highest-risk domestic violence cases — the worst 1% in Calgary. Strangulation is one of
the most common and dangerous offences encountered in these files, making it a critical focus of theirs investigative and intervention efforts.
Detective Sean Glydon:
Detective Glydon, is with the Calgary Police Service. He has been a member of the Calgary Police Service for 6 years, spending over 5 years in downtown patrol, and having recently transitioned to working in Equally Safe-DCRT. He has had a keen interest in investigating domestic files since he hit the street, and has had the opportunity to undertake additional training, including the Strangulation Investigation
Training put on by the Institute on Strangulation Prevention.
Dr. Pauline Head:
Dr. Pauline Head has practiced as a full time Emergency Physician since 1985. She began seeing sexually assaulted patients early in her career and was co-founder the Calgary Sexual Assault Response team in 1996. She has been an examining physician on this team since its inception and has been involved in educating colleagues, police and advocates about sexual violence and forensic examination and documentation since then. She is an affiliate member of the sexual assault team in New Zealand and is a member of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine in the UK – both associations are ahead of Canada in their Strangulation laws. She has completed the Strangulation Institute Advanced training as well as pediatric training. She has testified in court many times as an expert in sexual assault cases, and in the past few years has testified as an expert in cases involving Strangulation
Cassandra Rose:
Cassandra Rose is a Probation Officer at Calgary Core with the Government of Alberta, where she works to balance offender accountability with public safety through a trauma-informed and collaborative lens. She brings over 11 years of experience supporting victims of domestic violence, with a strong foundation
in crisis response, advocacy, and system navigation. Cassandra has led the development of program policies to support individuals who have experienced strangulation, using a high-acuity, interdisciplinary practice model.
Mayra Jarillo Alvarado:
Mayra Jarillo Alvarado is a Registered Social Worker and the Supervisor of the Outreach Program at YW
Calgary. With an academic background in both Chemistry and Social Work, she brings a unique and
interdisciplinary perspective to her role. Over the past 13 years, Mayra has developed extensive expertise in family violence intervention, gaining a deep understanding of both the systemic and personal impacts of abuse. At YW Calgary, she leads a team of Case Managers who provide critical support to individuals affected by family violence. Her frontline experience includes close collaboration with law enforcement through the Domestic Conflict Response Team (DCRT), enhancing her skills in assessment, safety planning, and building strong community partnerships. Mayra also serves as Co-Chair of the Strangulation Working Group, where she is dedicated to raising awareness about the risks and signs of strangulation among professionals and the public. She views this advocacy as a vital step toward effective intervention and prevention.
The Road to Violence - Colonization and Intimate Partner Violence
Marlene Orr
In 2023 – 2025, Native Counselling Services of Alberta set out to enhance the staffs practice knowledge and skills to support Indigenous program participants who may be experiencing Intimate Partner Violence and Gender Based Violence. Learning Circle sessions with staff from across Alberta and across programs and services encouraged staff to share their experience, understand the issues and build skills.
The Indigenous teachings and feedback from the Elders, staff and facilitator of the learning circles has brought rise to a developing a set of wise practices founded on a decolonial Indigenous responses to Intimate Partner Violence and Gender Based Violence. These practices combine Indigenous leadership, knowledge, values and NCSA practices to interconnect with the everyday lived experience of Indigenous people across the lands of these territories. Some of this includes:
– IPV/GBV is so far reaching across all communities that Indigenous frontline workers must have some capacity to respond to these situations whether they work directly or not with survivors of IPV/GBV.
– For Indigenous survivors of IPV & GBV it must be situated within the context of ongoing colonial violence and racist violence and discrimination, including the intergenerational and multigenerational impacts of trauma experienced by Indigenous communities.
– Interconnected programs and services for support and healing are created and led by and for Indigenous people and communities.
– Programs that work with Indigenous survivors of IPV & GBV should work with families and communities to create culturally sensitive healing and address the intergenerational impact of trauma.
– The importance of local (Rural/Urban) Indigenous ideas meaningfully inform intervention and resource development.
– and more
A member of the Beaver Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 6 territory, Marlene has worked on issues of justice and healing for Indigenous people. As CEO of Native Counselling Services of Alberta, Marlene works to build capacity in the Indigenous community to address their own members’ issues of healing. A recipient of numerous awards including Rotary Club Integrity Award, King’s Coronation Medal, Iskwew Award, ROOPH Award, Aboriginal Role Model Award for Justice; Marlene works from a perspective of Indigenous culture, Natural Law Teachings and Healing from Historic Trauma.
Engaging Men and Boys in the African Community: Education, Prevention, and Intervention to End Family Violence
Dee Adekugbe
This session focuses on the vital role of men and boys in the African community in addressing and preventing family violence. Grounded in cultural understanding and community strength, this approach emphasizes education, early prevention, and effective intervention strategies that center the voices and experiences of African families.
Participants will explore how culturally responsive engagement fosters accountability, challenges harmful gender norms, and promotes healing and respect. Through real-world examples and community-driven initiatives, the session will highlight how men and boys can be empowered as advocates and allies in breaking cycles of violence and building safer, more resilient families and communities.
Dee Adekugbe, affectionately known as “Mama Dee” or “Pastor Dee,” is a passionate and servant leader, ordained minister, international speaker, and advocate for families affected by domestic violence. As Founder and Executive Director of Ruth’s House, she has pioneered culturally grounded support for African descent communities in Calgary. A survivor herself, Dee transformed her personal journey through abuse and homelessness into a mission of hope and healing. In 2022, she launched Ruth’s House, the first ethnocultural shelter for Black women and children facing family violence. She extended this vision in 2024 by opening Mandela House, Calgary’s first emergency and transitional housing for Black men. For nearly 30 years, Dee has empowered individuals through faith-based outreach, social advocacy, and education, earning multiple awards for her impactful work. Through various initiatives. she continues to challenge stigma and offer culturally aligned support, rooted in faith, resilience, and community transformation.
Collaborating to deepen 2SLGBTQ+ service delivery
Kristy Harcourt
This panel-led discussion will center the needs and perspectives of 2SLGBTQ+ service providers and will welcome participants seeking to strengthen their allyship with 2SLGBTQ+ service users and colleagues. The session will explore ideas about change in organizations and the presenter panel will share resources and approaches that have been successful. As Alberta experiences political changes that challenge the safety and inclusion of 2SLGBTQ+ people and communities, service providers need commitment and support to address the unique needs of these minoritized communities.
The workshop will be led by a panel of providers from organizations creating depth in their work with 2SLGBTQ+ people. It will recreate the warm collaborative approach present in an ongoing monthly online community of practice. The 2SLGBTQ+ community of practice was created in 2020 in partnership with the ACWS and in 2025 it transitioned to operate with the support of CIAFV. It is one of the only Alberta-wide collaboratives focused on 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion, safety and support.
Kristy Harcourt (RSW, MSW) will moderate the panel. She is the facilitator of the 2SLGBTQ+ Community of Practice. Kristy is a social worker in clinical practice with the Ignite Wellness collective in Edmonton and an instructor in social work and gender studies at MacEwan University. Kristy has presented at Diverse Voices and other conferences.
Session 3
Friday, November 7, 2025
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Exploring Survivors’ Diverse Justice Needs: What the Post-Secondary Context Can Teach Us About Responding to Sexual Violence
Dr. Amanda Nelund
The last decade has been a period of renewed attention to, and action on, sexual violence on post-secondary campuses. There appears a dedicated focus of post-secondary institutions (PSI) on being “survivor centred” in their responses but very little empirical grounding for what survivors need or want in terms of responses. In some ways PSIs have simply re-created a criminal legal type of response. They have done so through the creation of stand-alone sexual violence policies that primarily center the prohibition of a diverse set of acts and the disciplinary process for any breach as the main focus of university response. These stand-alone policies institutions have created largely replicate many problematic aspects of the criminal justice system. They also fail to incorporate the benefits of alternative approaches such as restorative justice.
In this workshop attendees will be asked to think through both criminal justice responses and restorative responses to sexual violence. We will draw on the diverse expertise in the room to explore and complicate our thinking about these two approaches to sexual violence. Attendees will hear the core theoretical strengths and weaknesses of each approach and will be presented with some of the latest empirical findings. We will work together to situate that presentation in the context of Alberta and work currently being done here.
I will also outline my current research project. This project begins from the experiences of survivors and aims to get a better understanding of the complex justice needs of PSI survivors. Rather than start with a justice response and ask whether it works for survivors we aim to start with the needs of survivors and build a response up from those needs. I will report on some early findings from interviews with student survivors. Student survivors (in my study) do not conceptualize justice as a particular response from campus areas – or external agencies to the harm they experience from sexual violence. Rather their understanding is more relational, dynamic, and care-based – they express a need for moments of meaning making and connections that support them in their quest for healing while they grapple with ongoing demands associated with academic study, recurring effects of trauma, and ongoing challenges to envision themselves as whole after the violence.
I will work with workshop participants to think through what some of these early results might mean for our responses to violence.
Amanda Nelund is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology at MacEwan University in Edmonton AB. Her research focuses on alternative ways of thinking about and practicing justice. Amanda is a co-editor of “Violence Interrupted: Confronting Sexual Violence on University Campuses,” author of “A Better Justice? Community Programs for Criminalized Women” and co-author of “The Politics of Restorative Justice: A Critical Introduction.” Her current research project examines the needs of students who have experienced sexual violence.
The Strength of Story
Jana Pruden
The Strength of Story: Sharing our stories can be a healing and even transformative act, a powerful way to make sense of traumatic experiences, see ourselves more clearly, and help others facing similar struggles. But there are risks, too. In this session, award-winning Globe and Mail journalist Jana G. Pruden will look at both the power and peril of personal narrative, and provide specific techniques and tips to begin putting your story – or someone else’s — on the page.
Jana G. Pruden is an award-winning feature writer at The Globe and Mail in Canada, and the host and co-creator of the hit narrative podcast series, In Her Defence and In Her Defence: 50th Street.
Jana’s longform and narrative writing has been recognized internationally, including with multiple awards and citations from the National Newspaper Awards, the Canadian Association of Journalists, and the Canadian Journalism Foundation. Her writing has also appeared on Longform and Longreads, and in magazines such as The Walrus and Reader’s Digest.
Jana is the former crime bureau chief of the Edmonton Journal, and previously worked at the Regina Leader-Post, the Medicine Hat News, the Prairie Post and the Interlake Spectator. She is also a sessional journalism instructor at MacEwan University and Pandemic University Pop-Up School of Writing. She was a 2024 Ochberg fellow at Columbia University’s Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma.
A frequent presenter on issues related to journalism, nonfiction writing, and crime reporting, Jana delivered the 2020 Minifie Lecture at the University of Regina’s School of Journalism. That lecture, entitled Give Me Rewrite: Drafting a New Future for Journalism, can be watched on video here, or read here.
Her Lougheed College Lecture, The Misery Beat: The Ethics of Reporting on Crime and Human Suffering, can be found here. It is also available in print from Hingston & Olson.
Jana is a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, and lives in Edmonton.
Bluesky:
@janapruden.bsky.social
X:
@jana_pruden
From Memes to Misogyny: Media Literacy as a Tool for Preventing Gender-Based Violence
Jessie Heisler
What do memes, YouTube influencers, and TikTok soundbites have to do with rising polarization, gendered violence, and youth vulnerability in our communities? More than you think.
Online spaces are shaping how young people, and entire communities, understand gender, power, and relationships. From misogynistic content to viral conspiracy theories, harmful messages are often disguised as humour, empowerment, or self-help. The result? A rising tide of gender-based violence, fuelled by digital misinformation, male supremacy, and online hate.
This session explores how media literacy, the ability to critically engage with digital content, can be used as a primary prevention strategy to disrupt the conditions that enable gender-based violence before it escalates.
Drawing on Canadian case examples this session will examine how online content contributes to real-world harm. We will explore how misogynist and male supremacist ideologies, often disguised as humour or “self-improvement,” create a digital pipeline that can reinforce power imbalances, increase the risk of coercive control, and contribute to acts of mass violence. These harms disproportionately impact women, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, and survivors already facing systemic barriers.
This session is designed for GBV frontline workers, shelter and transition home staff, sexual assault service providers, outreach workers, and youth advocates who are seeing the impacts of online hate in their work but may not feel confident navigating digital media’s role in violence. Because violence prevention in 2025 starts not just in homes or schools, but on screens.
Jessie Heisler (she/her) is the Prevention and Community Engagement Manager at Dragonfly Counselling & Support Centre, a rural sexual violence organization serving northern Alberta. At Dragonfly, Jessie leads regional and provincial prevention initiatives focused on addressing the root causes of sexual and gender-based violence. Her work includes the development of school-based programming, caregiver education, rural community response training, and culturally safe approaches in partnership with Indigenous communities. Recognized with the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her leadership and innovation, Jessie is passionate about dismantling systemic barriers and amplifying rural and underserved voices in the gender-based violence sector.
Embracing' and Creating Non-Acute Medical-Forensic Services
Hannah Varto
“Embracing and Creating Non-Acute Medical-Forensic Services” explores the unique challenges and critical opportunities involved in developing outpatient medical-forensic services for individuals who have experienced interpersonal violence. While acute care and emergency-based forensic examinations have become available, there remains a significant gap in services for individuals seeking care days, weeks, or even months after an assault—particularly those in need of follow-up medical attention, documentation of evolving injuries, mental health support, or coordinated care planning.
This session will highlight the rationale and essential components of establishing a non-acute service model that bridges the gap between acute care and longer-term recovery. Drawing on the experience of creating Canada’s first outpatient clinic specifically for recent survivors of violence, Embrace Clinic, the presentation will provide a roadmap for designing and implementing sustainable services that integrate trauma-informed medical care, forensic documentation, and the challenges of interprofessional collaboration.
Attendees will learn about the logistical, ethical, and clinical considerations involved in launching such a service, including:
• Navigating health system limitations, funding constraints, and jurisdictional barriers;
• Addressing the complexities of consent;
• Building referral pathways from medical, law enforcement, and community agencies;
• Ensuring culturally safe, accessible, and survivor-centered care environments.
The presentation will also discuss how outpatient medical-forensic services offer an opportunity (and a challenge) for follow-up care after acute forensic exams.
Hannah Varto is a Nurse Practitioner with almost 20 years experience, specializing in forensic medicine and sexual reproductive health. She began her nursing career as a forensic nurse examiner and later became the first NP in British Columbia to focus on forensic practice. Hannah led the creation of Embrace Clinic, Canada’s first outpatient clinic for survivors of recent violence, and founded a specialized Strangulation Clinic in 2022. She is actively involved in multiple research studies, including a national study on blood-based diagnostics for violence-related brain injuries. She also teaches with BCIT’s Forensic Health Sciences faculty and provides expert private medical-legal consulting.
Sex Talk! Working with an Intellectual Disability Population... Is It Deviant?
Frances Ross and Christian Bandayrel
Initial introduction of challenging personal biases as it relates to sex and sexuality of an intellectual disability population. Differentiation between healthy and deviant sexual behaviors will be explored. This presentation will share engagement strategies, and a creative treatment model developed and used for dually diagnosed individuals (ID + MH) and their inappropriate sexual behaviours. It will provide tangible clinical tools that can be used when discussing consent, boundaries and relationships with clients. It is an adapted program that focuses on activity based learning and visual aids to assist with processing material for this specialized population. This treatment model includes ID individuals who are not only charged/convicted but also struggle with inappropriate sexual behaviour.
Frances Ross MSW, RCSW- has been a Social Worker at Forensic Assessment and Community Services (FACS) for the last 15 years and holds a position on the sexual violence team. She currently facilitates group and individual therapy that focuses on inappropriate sexual behavior. She has developed and structured a sexual behaviours program specifically for intellectually delayed individuals. She is a professor at MacEwan University in the School of Social Work.
Christian Bandayrel BScN, RN- is a Registered Nurse at Forensic Assessment and Community Services. He facilitates group therapy and individual counselling for those that have been convicted of a sexual offence. Working within a multidisciplinary team, he is instrumental in the process and administration of pharmacological interventions.
Transformative Prevention Approaches
Innovative Service Delivery
"Strengthening Relationships" Honouring and Respecting the Differences
April Tucker & Myrtle Beaulieu
The Indigenous Liaisons with the Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Council (AEAAC) are honoured to represent both the northern and southern regions of Alberta, working in close partnership with Indigenous communities to raise awareness, build relationships, and support culturally grounded responses to elder abuse. Through their roles with the Council, the liaisons help bridge gaps between mainstream service systems and Nation-based approaches, ensuring that the unique voices, needs, and strengths of Indigenous communities are reflected in how elder abuse is understood and addressed.
At this conference, the liaisons will share insights into the strategies and best practices they use to enhance trust, promote safety, and support relationship-based work in Nation settings. Their work is not a one-size-fits-all approach it is shaped by the distinct values, histories, and protocols of each community they serve. This includes recognizing the impact of colonization and intergenerational trauma, as well as the importance of ceremony, kinship, and traditional knowledge in supporting the well-being of older adults.
Within the Council, the Indigenous Liaisons contribute to the development of culturally informed resources, facilitate training and education for service providers, and support the creation or strengthening of Coordinated Community Response (CCR) models also known as “hubs” that reflect Indigenous ways of knowing. These models center collaboration and community leadership, bringing together Elders, service providers, leadership, and families to respond to abuse in a way that promotes healing and accountability.
Myrtle works with the northern communities throughout the province as the Indigenous Resource Liaison with Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Council. Her role with the council is to strengthen relationships within Indigenous communities and provide tools to address elder abuse. She is passionate in providing education and building awareness in Indigenous communities. She is a strong advocate on issues of injustice and how we can alter the current perspective to better support Indigenous people. Myrtle Beaulieu is a proud Metis Woman.
April is the Indigenous Liaison with the Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Council representing the southern communities throughout the province. She focuses on centering the voices and experiences of Indigenous Elders who have experienced, or remain at risk of, mistreatment—while also carrying the ongoing impacts of intergenerational trauma. A key focus of her work is raising awareness and sharing knowledge provincially within Indigenous Nations to build understanding, strengthen relationships, and support respectful engagement. April Tucker is from the Cayuga Nation from Six Nations of the Grand River, with ancestral ties to the lands now known as Ontario.
Masculinity & Silence: Dismantling Dominator Culture
Teresa Anne Fowler
This interactive session invites participants to critically examine and actively dismantle elements of masculine domination that perpetuate sexual violence. Drawing from bell hooks’ (2012) work on patriarchy and particularly dominator culture, we can unpack the pervasive influence of the culture of silence within male-dominated spaces, which act as a powerful mechanism for the reproduction and normalization of sexual violence (Dennie, MacDonald, Sutherland, 2024). This presentation will draw on research within men’s ice hockey culture and delve into the societal structures, implicit biases, and systemic norms that foster this silence, exploring how it inhibits accountability, perpetuates harm, and obstructs meaningful dialogue around consent, respect, and safety (Fowler, Moore, & Skuce, 2023)
Bell hooks’ (2012) concept of “dominator culture” posits a societal framework where power is maintained through fear and force, teaching individuals that their identity is defined by the will to control and dominate others, often normalizing violence and framing all relationships as power struggles. This framework is acutely relevant to understanding certain aspects of hockey culture, where a strong emphasis on physical toughness, rigid hierarchies (rookies vs. veterans, players vs. coaches), and an unwritten “code of silence” can mirror the very dynamics of dominator culture that are manifest through hegemonic masculinity (Allain 2008, 2014, 2019; Fowler, 2023; MacDonald, 2014). Within this environment, emotional suppression, particularly for male players, is often encouraged, and a competitive ethos can sometimes escalate into behaviours that perpetuate harm, including sexual violence, by stifling open dialogue and disclosures, discouraging accountability, and reinforcing a belief that aggression and control are inherent to success, rather than fostering a culture of respect, empathy, morality, and dignity.
Bell hooks (2004; 2012) argued that dominator culture is not just a system enforced by a select few, but rather a deeply ingrained societal ideology that we are all socialized into, regardless of our gender or position. It shapes our perceptions of power, worth, and relationships. Even those who are oppressed by it can, in various ways, unknowingly perpetuate its tenets. For example, in hockey culture, the demand for stoicism, unquestioning obedience to authority (“the code”), and the normalization of aggressive behaviours is not just enforced by a dominant few but is often internalized and reproduced by players, parents, and fans alike. The “masks” people wear, as we will discuss in the workshop, represent these internalized roles and expectations that prevent authentic engagement and emotional expression, which are crucial for challenging dominator norms.
Following the presentation, participants will engage in a hands-on workshop designed to foster profound self-reflection on dominator culture and can become a tool to use in their professional practice. Through the symbolic act of creating masks, attendees will explore the various “masks” they may unconsciously wear or encounter – those emotional, social, or psychological barriers that prevent authentic engagement in the work of sexual violence prevention and intervention. This creative process will be powerful for identifying personal and collective resistances, fostering empathy, and envisioning pathways to more courageous and compassionate action.
Dr. Teresa Anne Fowler, Assistant Professor at Concordia University of Edmonton, researches male-dominated spaces like men’s ice hockey culture. Her work considers the ways in which hegemonic masculinity operates to achieve and sustain masculine domination through systemic issues within sport, which contribute to harmful behaviours and silence survivors and disclosures. Dr. Fowler actively advocates for healthier masculinities and safer sporting cultures, collaborating with organizations like Hockey Canada and testifying to parliamentary committees. Her expertise offers crucial insights into prevention and intervention strategies within athletic and broader community contexts.
Session 4
Friday, November 7, 2025
12:45 – 2:15 p.m.
Drugging an Intimate Partner as an Abuse Tactic
Dr. Lisa Fontes
In a violating and abusive move, some domestic abusers give drugs to an intimate partner without their knowledge. We don’t really know how common this is. Most of the time, victim-survivors who have been drugged are not certain what happened. They may wake up groggy and believe they are hungover, or that their head is clouded from a medication or illness. If the abuser drugs them often, they may routinely feel weak, confused and physically or mentally ill. They may feel grateful and dependent on the (abusive) partner who seems to be taking care of them.
Learning Objectives:
After this training participants will:
Understand how and why domestic abusers drug their partners to control, disable, discredit, and sexually assault them.
Improve their ability to inquire about, detect, and address this criminal and harmful activity.
Learn about resources to enable their continued learning in this area.
Lisa A. Fontes, PhD, is an internationally known expert on coercive control, child abuse, intimate partner abuse, and sexual violence. As a researcher, professor, expert witness, and author, she works to protect vulnerable people from violence. She has appeared on CNN and been quoted in The New York Times, USA Today, the Boston Globe, and numerous other outlets.
Dr. Fontes has written many scholarly journal articles and the books:
- Invisible Chains: Overcoming Coercive Control in Your Intimate Relationship,
- Interviewing Clients Across Cultures
- Child Abuse and Culture: Working with Diverse Families
Dr. Fontes is a Senior Lecturer II at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. She has worked as a psychotherapist. She has conducted research around the world and has been a university professor for more than thirty years.
Dr. Fontes is a popular conference speaker and workshop facilitator, and writes for publications including Domesticshelters.org and PsychologyToday.com, where more than two million people have read her columns.
Dr. Fontes has been qualified in more than twenty U.S. States as an expert witness in family, civil, and criminal court on a range of cases concerning trauma, coercive control, best interests of the child, sexual violence, domestic abuse, child abuse, child development, sexual harassment, parental alienation, and more.
Igniting Change: Developing Communities of Practice in Rural Alberta
Tiffany Efird
For both survivors of family violence and those that work in the sector in rural Alberta, it is evident that the needs of rural survivors are critically undermet. Programs that address prevention of family violence and support for families are more scarce in rural communities or simply do not exist. People end up relying on services provided in bigger cities or organizations with limited capacities. Survivors face challenges such as lack of access to transportation, accessible housing, language barriers, lack of access to healthcare support, and stigmatization.
In this session, participants will gain a deeper understanding of gaps that rural organizations are working to address, the cracks that rural survivors fall through when attempting to access resources, and proposed frameworks needed to provide a preventative approach to addressing family violence in a sector that is primarily built to be an emergency response. This session will share methods that participants can use to develop communities of practice to address family violence/Intra-Partner Violence/Gender-Based Violence with the goal of creating spaces of debrief, collective learning, and sharing caseloads for organizations to respond to complex and difficult cases. In a sector where resources are often stretched or limited, it is vitally important that organizations work together to create spaces of support and resource sharing.
This interactive session will guide participants through what it means to have community-based programming that is accessible and refrains from leaving people out or forcing them to navigate fractured service spaces. Addressing family violence in rural communities is not as straightforward as scaling up service provision, but fully reimagining them to reflect the realities of the diverse people that live there.
The John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights (JHC) works to advance dignity, freedom, justice, and security through collaborative relationships and transformative education on peace and human rights. Their vision is a world that manifests a culture of peace and human rights by engaging young people in peace-building and human rights education, fostering adult learning and community collaboration through education and dialogue on peace and human rights, and working with government, businesses, and organizations to strengthen the application of human rights.
Tiffany Efird is a facilitator and researcher at JHC who is passionate about social justice and advocating for systemic change. Her roles include facilitating discussion on human
rights, developing research that promotes human rights, and coordinating JHC’s digital
safety programming.
Filling Gaps in Service Delivery When Working with Immigrant Families Experiencing Family Violence
Lubna Zaeem
Naheed Amjad Minhas
Nour Abdul Rahim
Naheed Amjad Minhas
Nour Abdul Rahim
Participants will learn about innovative collaborative approaches and hear how federal, provincial, and local stakeholders work together to create coordinated community responses to Family Violence. CIAFV is comprised of non-profits, government departments, committees, and for-profits working together to improve the capacity of family violence professionals and the individuals we serve.
IFVPC has created a groundbreaking online course that equips service providers with tools and strategies to comprehend Coercive Control. Animated videos are used to enhance the participants’ learning. The course covers definitions, dimensions, factors affecting immigrant families, tactics, and how to identify red flags.
Lubna is a registered psychologist with over 20 years of experience supporting the mental health of immigrants, newcomers, and the Muslim community. She holds advanced credentials in counselling and Islamic psychology and has led impactful trainings and initiatives in collaboration with government, law enforcement, and community leaders. A nationally recognized leader, Lubna is a recipient of the Governor General’s Sovereign Medal for Volunteers. She currently serves as Clinical Director at the Islamic Family and Social Services Association.
Naheed Amjad-Minhas is a counseling therapist specializing in the Advanced Grief Recovery Method. She has a passion for working with immigrant, newcomer, and refugee families who have faced family violence in Ontario and Alberta. Since 2017, she has been chairing the Immigrant Family Violence Prevention Committee (IFVPC) in Edmonton, AB.
In 2018, she was honored to receive the Peace in Families Award from the United Cultures of Canada Association at the Diverse Voices event for her efforts in combating family violence. Additionally, her remarkable work was recognized with the Inspiration Award from the Government of Alberta in 2022.
Nour Abdul-Rahim is currently working as the Clinical Support & Intake with IslamicFamily. Nour graduated from the University of Alberta with an honours degree in psychology. Through her degree, she gained research experience and conducted her own research project on the effects of adverse childhood experiences on parenting and children’s development. She is interested in pursuing a career in mental health and is currently a master’s of counselling psychology student.
Walking through the Fire: The Power of Connection for Sex Workers impacted by Domestic Abuse
Amy Munroe
Women involved in sex work experience high rates of abuse often from multiple perpetrators. This workshop builds off a five year study examining the impacts of a novel community-based program addressing the intersecting issues of sex work and abuse using a coercive control framework. Five years of qualitative data from 88 women and 20 peer facilitators revealed complex histories of trauma that deeply impacted women’s capacity for healing. Through this workshop we will hear directly from participants the value and impact of peer programs, building connections and communities as part of their healing journey. Evaluation results will show that the group program created opportunities for shared learning, a sense of community and relationship equity. This presentation will share how these results have driven our own agency action across Alberta with an emphasis for creating further opportunities for community engagement and connection to support this often invisible population.
Participants in this workshop will have an opportunity to engage in core training and programmatic materials used as part of this program. After the workshops participants will be able to; identify impacts of peer programming for sex workers impacted by domestic abuse and coercive control; describe the core components of peer programming, lived experience and lived impact; have strategies on how to engage in community level capacity building to support vulnerable populations.
Amy Munroe is the Program Lead at Sagesse, where she leads a team supporting those impacted by abuse through peer support and equity programs, using innovative, client-led approaches.
With over a decade of experience, Amy has worked directly with clients, managed volunteers, and built partnerships across Alberta. She has delivered specialized workshops, trainings, and developed new initiatives. Amy holds a BA in Sociology, a Diploma of Social Work, and has been a registered social worker in violence prevention since 2014.
Néya Napew Na Muton" I Am a Kind Man"
Kody Taylor (ANFCA)
Néya Napew Na Muton, (a Cree phrase) translates to “I Am a Kind Man” (IAKM), is a program that embraces the seven sacred teachings which show us how to live in harmony with creation through wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility and truth. Néya Napew Na Muton provides a supportive, holistic model for community healing. IAKM recognizes the challenges Indigenous men face as a result of colonization and historical trauma and encourages men and boys to reconnect with their traditional roles within families and their communities.
Néya Napew Na Muton supports Indigenous men and boys to:
• understand and reclaim their roles as protectors of Indigenous women and girls
• understand and deal with trauma and colonial violence through engagement and holistic support
• encourage Indigenous men and boys to take an active role in speaking out against gender based and sexual violence against Indigenous women, girls, and our 2SLGBTQQIA family.
It will lead to, in the longer-term, community understanding and responsibility to address violence towards Indigenous women and girls and heathier Indigenous families and communities.
Kody Taylor is an Anishinaabe woman whose family originates from Treaty 5 Territory in Manitoba. For the past 9+ years, Kody has been actively supporting Friendship Centre communities through her work as the Special Initiatives Manager at the Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association. Embodying the vision of ANFCA, “to nurture holistically healthy, culturally strong, and thriving Friendship Centre communities where traditions and well-being are celebrated”, Kody has had the opportunity to work in a variety of portfolios including Youth Engagement, Opioids Response, Youth Employment, and Neya Napew Na Muton (I Am a Kind Man).
Kody holds two degrees from the University of Manitoba (Political Science and Native Studies) and is recently married. She resides in the Edmonton area with her partner and their two children, a toddler and a teenager.
Safe at Home: Reimagining Safety and Healing for Families Experiencing Domestic Violence
Sidney Fraser & Ella Delarue
The Safe at Home program, delivered by Rowan House Society, offers a transformative, restorative approach to addressing domestic violence through early intervention, safety planning, and whole-family support. This 90-minute session will explore how Safe at Home challenges conventional models of shelter-based responses by providing survivors—primarily women and children—the opportunity to remain safely in their own homes, while the person using violence engages in psychoeducational programming, accountable behavior change.
Through a trauma-informed, gender-responsive, and culturally conscious lens, the session will unpack the complexities of supporting families to heal without displacement. Presenters will outline the program’s core components, including risk assessment, family-centered planning, partnerships with law enforcement and community agencies, and individualized outreach support for the person causing harm. Case examples, evaluation data, and voices from program participants will illustrate both the challenges and the significant outcomes of this innovative model.
Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how integrated, community-based solutions like Safe at Home can support long-term safety, reduce barriers to support, and honor the diverse needs and voices of families impacted by domestic violence. This session is ideal for frontline practitioners, policymakers, and leaders seeking sustainable, survivor-driven alternatives in the anti-violence sector.
Ella Delarue is a Safe at Home Outreach worker with Rowan House Society who is passionate about creating positive change within the family home. Ella works primarily with individuals
who are causing harm in the home in either a one-on-one approach or through group sessions.
Ella has been working with Rowan House Society for about a year now but prior to this she dedicated a decade of her time to the oil and gas industry where she spent months on end
working in secluded northern regions of Canada. Ella’s experience of working in a predominantly male dominated industry has aided in her empathetic approach to working with
many males in her current role. Her goal is to create lasting change with all individuals that she
engages with and to shift the stigmas that surround domestic violence.
Ella is currently obtaining a bachelor’s degree in criminology with a specialization in forensic psychology out of a university in Chicago. She is passionate about traveling and has experienced
various different cultures across 24 countries around the world. She also enjoys spending time on the family farm riding horses and can often be found to be consumed by her extravagant
vegetable and fruit garden. Ella is also a newly expecting mother and is looking forward to taking her new pal on trips around the world with her.
Sidney Fraser is a passionate Community Program Coordinator who has dedicated the past nine years to supporting individuals and families impacted by domestic violence. For eight years, she
worked on the front lines alongside women and children, and in the past year, she has taken on a new challenge: supporting the Safe at Home team, a program designed to work with individuals
who cause harm.
With a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Youth Care, Sidney brings both compassion and practical expertise to her work. She walks alongside participants as they take accountability for their
actions, helping them build the skills needed to regulate emotions, set healthy boundaries, understand power and control, and create healthy relationships.
Outside of work Sidney enjoys spending time with her family and friends, is a mom of two and enjoys outdoor adventures with the family Coonhound. The everyday is fun, goofy a little chaotic and bring so much joy.
The Resilience Scale: A Tool for Change
*Additional certificate issued
Allonna Harker
Resilience is the ability to adapt and remain healthy in the face of adversity and can be strengthened or weakened over time in response to our experiences. The Resilience Scale tool developed by the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative of the Palix Foundation helps to illustrate how three factors interact to determine resilience: adversities, positive supports, and acquired skills and abilities.
Background:
Brains have an amazing ability to grow and change. While the most significant changes occur during early childhood and adolescence, brain plasticity is present throughout the life course. The science of brain development has been translated into the Brain Story, a series of metaphors that explain how experiences affect brain development and later life outcomes. A key metaphor of the Brain Story is the Resilience Scale. Resilience can be defined as the ability to respond positively in the face of adversity. It depicts how adversities, positive supports, and acquired skills and abilities interact to influence resilience and impact lifelong physical and mental health outcomes.
Negative experiences, sources of adversity, and toxic stress, such as abuse and neglect, can be loaded on the left side of the scale. Alternatively, access to positive supports in the form of safe, stable, and supportive environments and relationships can be loaded on the right side of the scale. The position of the scale’s fulcrum, a representation of our skills and abilities, can be influenced by our genetic predispositions and opportunities to nurture core life skills.
Strong skills and abilities will shift the position of the fulcrum to the left, giving less leverage to negative experiences and more capacity to managing adversity. Taken together, negative experiences, positive supports, and skills and abilities all interact to determine whether the Resilience Scale tips toward a positive outcome or a negative outcome.
A Tool for Change:
The Resilience Scale provides foundational knowledge and a common language that are accessible across populations and sectors, including policy makers, practitioners, and the public. It communicates key concepts around resilience, and acts as an innovative, visual tool that can be used across systems and sectors to provide the supports needed to improve outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. As a tool, the Resilience Scale can be used for clinical practice within the healthcare system, educational purposes for social services and community agencies, and self assessment and evaluation for individuals and caregivers. Using the common knowledge and language of the Brain Story and Resilience Scale, new policies and practices can be designed that focus on more effective and efficient service delivery within communities.
What to Expect:
This session introduces the Resilience Scale to community leaders and professionals from the health, education, children’s services, and justice systems. The utility of the Resilience Scale as a tool to help service providers identify the needs and types of services required to build an individual’s capacity for resilience will be explored.
Allonna (Loni) Harker (PhD Candidate) is a Scientific Associate with the Palix Foundation, where she
supports the application of brain science to policy and practice across sectors. With a BSc in Psychology,
an MSc in Behavioural Neuroscience, and as a current PhD Candidate in Neuroscience at the University
of Lethbridge, Loni brings scientific training to her work. Her research explores the often-overlooked
impact of paternal experiences during the preconception period, examining how these early factors
influence brain development and behavior in the next generation. This work aligns closely with Palix’s
focus on preventive approaches and the intergenerational roots of health and resilience. Loni is also
deeply committed to teaching and knowledge mobilization. For over six years, she has taught at the
University of Lethbridge, introducing students to the Brain Story Certification Course in collaboration with
the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative (AFWI) and the Palix Foundation.