Fund to help families of homicide victims
Subsidy meant to help people attend trials of immediate family members in different communities
Kirsten Fenn
Northern News Services
Monday, October 31, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Families who have lost a loved one to homicide will now have one less burden to carry when taking part in the court process.
Native Women's Association victim service co-ordinator Hawa Dumbuya, left, practicum student Danita Frost-Arey and victim service worker Marie Speakman are part of the team that put together a new resource guide to help families navigate the death of a loved one due to homicide. - Kirsten Fenn/NNSL photo |
The Native Women's Association of the NWT has opened a travel assistance program that offers financial support to families who want to attend a trial but have not been called as a witness in the case.
"We work a lot with victims victims of family violence, victims of crime in general," said Hawa Dumbuya, victim service co-ordinator at the association. "But when it comes to the issue of homicide ... most of the programming and support that is available tends to be for the primary victim the person who actually experienced the crime."
The secondary victims, like family members, are often left to deal with the aftermath, she said.
Although the territorial government covers some expenses for people who are called as witnesses in a trial, the same is not true for family members who are not taking part directly in the court process but still wish to be present.
A number of families came to the Native Women's Association asking for financial support for counselling or so they could attend trial, "and we didn't have money for that," Dumbuya said.
In February, the organization submitted an application to the NWT's Victims Assistance Fund asking for that financial support for family members.
The result was the creation of the travel assistance fund as well as a handbook that guides family members through the court process and other issues they might face when dealing with the homicide of a loved one.
The subsidy is limited, Dumbuya said, but does cover up to five days of meals and hotel stays, transportation to Yellowknife or another NWT community where the trial is taking place and up to six counselling sessions.
"Sometimes when the trial is happening a lot of stuff comes up for people and they might need someone to talk to," Dumbuya said. "So this is also part of that."
The program is available for up to two members of the victim's immediate family.
The handbook, called Homicide and the Loss of a Loved One, is also designed to support family members through the aftermath of homicide.
It covers the grieving process, navigating the justice system, victims' rights, how to talk to children and teens about loss, the role of the RCMP in the investigation and includes self check-ins for family members to make sure they are taking care of themselves.
"Usually when people are grieving those things can be really difficult to focus on," Dumbuya said.
Although some provinces have similar handbooks, Dumbuya said there was nothing comparable in the NWT.
The Native Women's Association worked with RCMP, the Status of Women Council of the NWT, the chief coroner's office and the NWT community justice department to create the resource guide.
The goal is to distribute copies to RCMP detachments, victim services offices and community workers in communities throughout the territory.
"Because there's limited support for family members of crime, I think this is a unique situation," she said of the project. "It's specific for family members."
