June 17, 2002

Maple Ridge Pitt-Meadows News on Violence Against Women

Following the posting of my article on "Increasing Risk to Women" the following was received from the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News. Perhaps Mr. Fletcher should review the data on the number of women who are killed by their partners. It can be viewed at http://www.weq.gov.bc.ca/a-minute-of-silence/main.htm

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tom Fletcher [mailto:editor@mapleridgenews.com]
> Sent: Monday, June 17, 2002 8:23 AM
> To: David Schreck
> Subject: Re: Increasing Risk for Women
>
> I had a chance to talk to some police and prosecutors involved in the
> old "zero tolerance" spousal abuse policy. It should have been called
> a "bust the guy" policy, and it was viewed as one of the more
> egregious runaway social engineering experiments of the far-left
> feministas at the UVic law school. God I'm glad you guys got thrown
> out on your asses.
> --
> -----------------------------------------
> Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News
> 22328-119 Avenue Maple Ridge B.C. V2X 2Z3
> phone: (604) 467-1122 fax: (604) 463-4741
> web: www.mapleridgenews.com
> -----------------------------------------

Increasing Risk for Women

As pieces of the government's cutbacks are put together a picture is emerging of a government that is particularly tough on women. The decade old policy of zero tolerance for spousal abuse has been replaced with discretion on behalf of the police and prosecutors. The soft abuse policy is only part of a package of policy changes that makes it more likely that women will remain in abusive relationships.

Cuts to welfare have been devastating but the worst is yet to come. Unit 3 and above will have their shelter allowance reduced. That means people with kids, frequently women who are single parents, will receive less. It takes a particularly mean spirited government to target children with welfare cuts; it could result in keeping women in intolerable relationships.

Vancouver Sun columnist, Vaughn Palmer, commented recently that the NDP is in no position to criticize welfare cuts because they did it when they were in government. It is true that the NDP cut welfare payments to employable people under age 55. The resulting controversy contributed to the fragmentation of the NDP coalition. However, those cuts also helped finance the BC Family Bonus Program that was designed to keep money flowing into families when a person moved from welfare to work. As controversial as the BC Benefits program was for many advocates, the change from GAIN to BC Benefits was nothing compared to the approach adopted by the Campbell government.

Starting with welfare cheques issued April 24, 2002, the support portion of benefits was cut for single parents who are "employable" (child 3 or older) and for employable people over age 55. Starting with the July 2002 cheque the shelter portion of welfare cheques will be further reduced for families of 3 or more. That means the kids can eat less!

Special grants that financial assistance workers were previously able to provide to clients in crisis situations have been reduced or eliminated. It has been made harder to qualify for income assistance and for child care grants. Families cannot have more than $250 in cash and cannot have more than $2,500 in total assets. A car can be exempted but only if the owner has less than $5,000 equity in the vehicle. When your means of survival are reduced to that level just think of the fear of being turned down at the welfare office. There is no cushion to survive to the next month.

BC has lost 25,000 jobs since the Campbell government took office. Thousands more forestry workers are about to be laid off due to the softwood dispute. At a time when the social safety net is desperately needed, the Campbell government is cutting its ropes. That is hard on everyone in need but it is particularly hard on women. Government has also eliminated the Children's Advocate and it has adopted a policy of reducing the number of children in care although it has not increased support for families at risk. Following the cuts to shelter payments in July it will be important to monitor the number of protection cases that are added to the case loads of social workers. Lower welfare rates may force some women and their children to remain in dysfunctional relationships. Some desperate families are being put at extreme risk. Frequently that kind of risk results in violence towards women and children. A relaxed policy on spousal assault will only make life more difficult for the victims of abuse.