SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The current NWT Family Violence Action Plan is "sunsetting" and new goals, along with new funding, need to be put in place soon, according to the Coalition Against Family Violence.

Members of the Coalition Against Family Violence stand in the Native Women's Association of the NWT Wednesday building. From left to right: Barb Hood of the NWT Seniors' Society, Cynthia James of the Native Women's Association, Arlene Hache of the Centre for Northern Families, Lyda Fuller of the YWCA and Lorraine Phaneuf of the Status of Women Council of the NWT. - Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison/NNSL photo

Representatives from the Native Women's Association, the NWT Seniors' Society, the Centre for Northern Families, the Status of Women Council of the NWT and the YWCA met Wednesday morning at the Native Women's Association of the NWT's building to discuss what needs to be done to stop family violence.

Currently, violence rates in the NWT are five times the national average.

"It's an epidemic issue and we have only just started (addressing it)," said Arlene Hache, executive director of the Centre for Northern Families.

They hope to secure funding from the GNWT, the federal government, foundations and corporations so that they can expand their scope.

Hache said that it's crucial more money, between $400,000 and $500,000, be put aside to revamp the men's program.

Currently, men who are violent against their families can take part in an eight-week program to help them find better alternatives.

"We haven't seen the evidence that that program is effective," Hache said.

"Anything less than improving that program is a Band-Aid solution."

Over the past three years, the coalition has been developing a new program and hopes to expand it to 20 weeks.

Hache stressed, "It would be a huge waste of money and time for that program to go down the toilet."

In addition, they need more money for building repairs, 24/7 support staff, to gather up-to-date abuse statistics, to strengthen prevention programs and to create shelters in communities that don't have them.

"It's actually very do-able," said Hache.

The current NWT Family Violence Action Plan set aside funding of just over $3 million a year and included the implementation of controversial emergency protection orders, which Hache said was one of their biggest successes.

"It's been the most effective thing that I've seen in 30 years."

The members of the coalition stressed that family violence shouldn't be addressed as an add-on to health, social services or education, but separately.

In Yellowknife the only family violence shelter is Alison McAteer House, a 12-bed shelter run by the YWCA.

Last year, about 150 women stayed at the shelter.

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