Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Aug 22/01) - The scenario has become all too familiar in Nunavut communities.

A deteriorating relationship between mother and father puts the entire family at risk of violence.

Alcohol, unemployment, boredom -- all elements of community life in the North which can lead to anger and, ultimately, family violence.

Once violence occurs within the family unit, it is a long and difficult road to recovery which is often hampered by the court process.

The Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre in Rankin Inlet is bringing together the first Spousal Abuse Counselling program to be offered in Nunavut.

The Friendship Centre will develop and deliver the pilot program in consultation with the Keewatin Legal Services Centre Society, the Crown prosecutor's office for Nunavut and Pauktuutit.

The focus will be to reduce spousal abuse through the use of an innovative and culturally appropriate counselling program.

The program will be designed to assist abusers in changing the way they relate to others, particularly their spouse.

A voluntary program for victims and families will also be offered, as well as preventing or decreasing abuse through education.

Executive director Myrna Michon says the program will target abusers (male or female) and be offered as an alternative to incarceration.

"There is a bad time lag in our court system between the time an assault actually happens and when it's addressed in court," says Michon.

"We're looking at how we can get an abuser into the program immediately after the event happens, not wait for it to become a court-mandated issue."

Community input needed

The centre is looking to southern Canada for an experienced developer who can initiate the program and train local people to eventually take over its delivery.

If successful in Rankin, the program would then be replicated in other Kivalliq and Nunavut communities.

"A huge key to the success of this program," says Michon, "is community involvement.

"We need to consult with individuals and community support groups to develop this program for our use.

"We will also be establishing a steering committee to advise those who are operating the program."

With a yearly average in the neighbourhood of $200,000, funding for the duration of the pilot project will top the $1-million mark.

Michon says pilot projects are generally highly scrutinized and, considering the nature of this project, it will come under even heavier scrutiny.

"We'll be doing our own internal evaluations and we'll be evaluated externally by the program funders.

"The level of domestic violence has become shameful in Nunavut.

"It's a huge problem and it needs to be addressed.

"We hope to have our doors open and accept our first client within the next six months."