Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Aug 13/01) - Nunavut's first spousal abuse program is one step closer to reality.

The pilot project, which will be launched in Rankin Inlet, will be designed to change the way abusers relate to others, particularly their spouses and families.

It is sponsored by the Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre in consultation with the Keewatin Legal Services Centre Society, the Crown prosecutor's office for Nunavut, and Pauktuutit.

The friendship centre's executive director, Myrna Michon, says the centre is searching for a developer to launch the program. She says the program must be developed with input and acceptance from the community.

"We don't want to try and reinvent the wheel with this project when it comes to how to address family violence," says Michon.

"We want to look at programs already in place from beginning to end and adopt the parts which work best for us and our people."

Once an experienced program developer is found, local trainees will be hired to deliver the program.

Social advocates say the five-year project is both a badly needed and highly expensive undertaking.

With a yearly operating budget of about $200,000, it will cost $1 million by its conclusion.

The program will be offered as an alternative to incarceration for both male and female abusers.

An additional program will target victims and families, and an outreach program will raise awareness, in an attempt to make it easier for people to recognize and handle abuse.

If the pilot project proves successful in Rankin Inlet, it will be replicated in other Nunavut communities.

"It's an accepted fact in our courts and among our law enforcement people in Nunavut that spousal abuse has become a huge problem which needs to be addressed," says Michon.

"Hopefully, we will have everything in place to be able to open our doors and start counselling people within the next six months."