Ontario Awarding Victim Support Grant to Toronto Police Services

Province supporting victims and survivors of intimate partner violence, human trafficking and child exploitation

NEWS: September 20, 2023

ETOBICOKE – The Ontario government is investing more than $4 million across the province to help support victims and survivors of intimate partner violence/domestic violence, human trafficking, and child exploitation, Etobicoke-Lakeshore MPP Christine Hogarth reported today. The funding is being delivered through the Victim Support Grant program and includes $100,000 for the Support for Survivors program for 2023-24 for Toronto Police Services (TPS).

TPS will work with Support for Survivors, a partnership with Victim Services Toronto (VST), to improve capacity to better support victims of human trafficking and internet child exploitation, as well as secondary victims such as their families. A VST-trained crisis intervention counsellor will join TPS’ Sex Crimes Unit, which is responsible for identifying and charging human trafficking and internet child exploitation sex crimes.

“From sponsoring a Clare’s law for Ontario – which would help support women who feel under threat from abusive former partners – to supporting a variety of measures this government is taking to combat intimate partner violence and human trafficking, I applaud this funding,” Hogarth said.

“Support for victims and survivors is a crucial first step to recovery,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “This important grant is part of our government’s plan to combat violent crime on our streets and ensure that victims are not left behind.”

The Victim Support Grant (VSG) is part of Ontario’s Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy and complements the province’s $307 million Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy, 2020-2025 and Combating Human Trafficking Act, 2021.

QUICK FACTS

All municipal and First Nation police services as well as the Ontario Provincial Police are eligible to apply for funding through the VSG program.

The VSG can be used for a variety of projects and initiatives, including specialized training for law enforcement, culturally responsive education and awareness campaigns, and purchasing technology and equipment to enhance police investigations and provide survivors with the option to complete interviews remotely.
Of the 45 projects being funded across the province, 19 will focus on intimate partner violence and domestic violence, five on human trafficking, three on child exploitation, and 18 will focus on all three areas.
The Ontario government is investing over $2 million in the Partner Assault Response (PAR) program to help break the cycle of intimate partner violence and keep communities safe. The PAR program provides specialized group education and counselling for people charged with intimate partner violence offences and offers support to current partners of those in the program. This two-year investment is in addition to the more than $2 million given to PAR providers in 2022.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

MEDIA CONTACT

Nabeel Ranmall – Office Manager
Office of the MPP for Etobicoke-Lakeshore
Telephone: 647-391-4563
nabeel.ranmall@pc.ola.org