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About Us

The Premier's Action Committee on Family Violence Prevention was appointed by the premier of Prince Edward Island in December 1995. The mandate of the committee is to:

  • coordinate the implementation of the provincial Family Violence Prevention Strategy;
  • ensure integrity of community participation is maintained;
  • ensure an evaluation component is in place;
  • develop a work plan; to promote the importance of resource allocations necessary for implementation of the strategy; and
  • communicate initiatives to ensure a high public profile for family violence prevention is maintained across the province.

PAC Annual Activity Reports

Strategies for Addressing Family Violence in Prince Edward Island

Committee Membership (2019)

Committee membership consists of community and government representatives to ensure diversity and collective responsibility. Members are appointed to serve five year terms.

Ann Sherman - Chair, Member at Large

Dr. Wendy Verhoek-Oftedahl - Resource Person

Sean Morrison - Ex-Officio

Department of Justice and Public Safety, Crown Attorneys' Office - David O'Brien, Q.C.
 
Aboriginal Women's Association of PEI - Marlene Thomas

PEI Seniors' Secretariat - Peter Holman

PEI Chiefs of Police Association - Chief Lewie Sutherland

Royal Canadian Mounted Police - S/S/M Hank Pollard

PEI Family Violence Prevention Services - Danya O'Malley

PEI Rape and Sexual Assault Centre - Dr. Rachael Crowder

Community Legal Information Association - Kelly Robinson

Actions Femmes I.-P.-E. - Michelle Pineau

PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women - Jane Ledwell

East Prince Women's Information Centre - Andy Lou Somers

Women's Institute of PEI - Marguerite Atchison

Catholic Family Services Bureau - Peter Mutch

Victim Services (Department of Justice and Public Safety) - Susan Maynard

Community Mental Health and Addicitions (Health PEI) - Jody MacLennan

Child Protection Services (Department of Social Development and Housing) - Joyce Robertson

Interministerial Women's Secretariat - Michelle Harris-Genge

Department of Education and Lifelong Learning - Sterling Carruthers

Healthy Child Development (Department of Education and Lifelong Learning) - Ann Hayes-McKenzie

PEI Federation of PEI Municipalities - Stephen Gould

Department of Workforce and Advanced Learning - Penny Ramsay

PEI Association of Newcomers to Canada - vacant

Turning Point (Department of Justice and Public Safety) - Jo-Anne Hargrove

AccessAbility Supports (Department of Social Development and Housing) - Kim Deighan

Office of Children and Youth - Michele Dorsey Q.C

PEERS Alliance - Kandace Hagen

Public Health (Health PEI) - Jill Anne McDowall

Labour and Industrial Relations (Department of Economic Growth, Tourism and Culture) - Patricia McPhail

Department of Health and Wellness - Melissa Munro-Bernard

Primary Care (Health PEI) - Christina Phillips

Adult Protection (Health PEI) - vacant

Our Vision Statement

A society where all individuals are safe, respected and valued; where any form of violence is unacceptable; and where children, women and men have opportunities to reach their full potential and contribute to the overall well-being of families and communities.

Family Violence Statement

Family violence affects, or will affect, all people in Prince Edward Island.  Family violence is connected to abuse of power and control, and to injustice based on sex, race, age, class, sexual orientation, and physical or mental ability.  Individual history, family history, and current circumstances play a role in family violence.

Family violence is known by many names: child maltreatment, child abuse, incest, child exposure to domestic violence, intimate partner violence, spousal violence, woman abuse, domestic violence, sibling abuse, parent abuse, elder abuse, and abuse of older adults.

Family violence can affect anyone, from any demographic: cultural, national and ethnic origin, socio-economic status, education, gender, age and physical or mental ability.

Family violence can take many forms: harassment, verbal abuse, threats, financial abuse, psychological abuse, emotional abuse, spiritual abuse, neglect, damage to property, injury to pets, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and homicide.

Family violence can happen between: current and former intimate partners (married and unmarried couples, including same-sex couples, and dating partners); a legal guardian or parent and child; blood, marriage or adoptive relatives; and a live-in caregiver and care recipient.

Family violence hurts.  It can cause physical and psychological harm.  Family violence violates the victim's rights and freedoms.  Family violence harms the healthy development of children and youth.

Family violence is a public health issue, a criminal justice issue, and a human rights issue.  To address family violence, all of us in Prince Edward Island must work together and share our resources.
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