This study builds on previous work, Weighing Justice: Do Pro-Arrest, Pro-Charge & Pro-Prosecution Policies Remain the Most Effective Response to Domestic Violence? which found there are significant barriers to reporting domestic violence to authorities such as fear of children being removed by child protection services and experiencing revictimization in the criminal justice system. These barriers are more significant for racialized survivors and for newcomers. This study pointed to the need for further research to learn about what factors would be involved in moving to a trauma and violence-informed and family centered response to gender-based violence in Nova Scotia. Our research was guided by an advisory board and explored the following three primary objectives:

1. Map the current justice system response to domestic violence and identify opportunities for systemic change

2. Survey family-centered, trauma and violence-informed responses to gender-based violence elsewhere in Canada and globally in the literature

3. Expert Interviews: identify and conduct 10-20 individual interviews of researchers and practitioners throughout the world who are implementing innovative family-centered, trauma-informed responses to gender-based violence

The overarching goal of the project is to provide strategic, evidence-based recommendations and strategies that will inform moving toward a more trauma and family-centered model of responding to and preventing intimate partner violence in Nova Scotia. The project focuses on state responses within the criminal justice and child welfare systems.

We also intended to use creative knowledge mobilization strategies to inform a broad range of stakeholders about our findings that included the creation of a film, holding a workshop, development of a website, and hosting a podcast as well published reports and articles.