An investment from the federal government will help the University of New Brunswick study a program aimed at supporting women from across the Maritimes who face intimate partner violence.
Ottawa announced Thursday an investment of $598,272 to the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research in Fredericton for the project.
“This intervention program … will be a great tool to guide and equip women in Atlantic Canada who face intimate partner violence,” said Élisabeth Brière, parliamentary secretary to the minister of mental health.
The program, titled Advocacy and Intervention for Women in Mid-life and Older Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence, will support those from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Officials say the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated vulnerabilities that place older adults at higher risk for elder abuse and expects cases to increase substantially over the next two decades.
Fredericton MP Jenica Atwin said family and gender-based violence are serious public health issues with links to physical and mental health concerns and can have long-lasting consequences.
“The Government of Canada will continue working to prevent family and gender-based violence, support survivors and break the cycle of violence in families and communities from coast to coast,” she said.