Family Violence and the Law: Training with Pamela Cross

This full-day training explores the intersections of family and criminal law in cases involving family violence, with a focus on understanding the big picture rather than procedural details. Participants will examine common legal challenges survivors face, including parental alienation, coercive control, publication bans, and dual or counter-charging, referencing insights from the CKW inquest.

Through interactive sessions, small group exercises, and expert guidance, attendees will:

• Understand how family and criminal law address (or fail to address) family violence.
• Identify challenges for survivors navigating both systems.
• Explore current federal and provincial law reform initiatives, including bills related to criminal and family law responses to gender-based violence.

Facilitator: Pamela Cross is a feminist lawyer and nationally recognized expert on violence against women and the law. She is a researcher, writer, educator, and trainer with women’s equality and violence against women organizations across Canada. Pamela’s 2024 book, And Sometimes They Kill You: Confronting the Epidemic of Intimate Partner Violence, was shortlisted for the Donner Prize and examines systemic failures in addressing intimate partner violence while offering a whole-of-society strategy for change.

Additional Information: A lunch will be provided for all participants.

This training is ideal for professionals working in justice, social services, or community organizations who want to deepen their understanding of the legal landscape surrounding family violence and support survivors effectively.