Red Flag Law Awareness: Protecting Against Firearm Harm in Gender-Based Violence
The Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children (CREVAWC) is pleased to launch a project to raise awareness on “Red Flag” laws.
Background
Firearms pose a significant risk in situations involving intimate partner violence (IPV) or gender-based violence (GBV). A large proportion of domestic homicides involve firearms, and having a gun is the greatest risk factor that IPV will turn deadly. Domestic homicides involving guns are also more likely in rural areas.
Recently implemented “Red Flag” laws are an important advance in harm reduction and protections available to address the role of firearms in IPV/GBV. “Red Flag” laws allow anyone to apply to a court to ask for a person’s access to firearms to be restricted on an emergency basis where there are concerns about safety to themselves or others.
About the Project
The Red Flag Law Awareness project, funded by Public Safety Canada, will provide broad education to professionals and members of the public on the role of firearms in domestic homicide. The project aims to raise awareness about the safety provisions available through “Red Flag” laws by creating materials that are GBV survivor informed, trauma- and violence-informed, intersectional, and accessible.
Building on CREVAWC’s existing public education, GBV service providers, and family law audiences, along with associated partnerships, communities of practice, and advisory committees, this project will develop and share knowledge of “Red Flag” laws and associated emergency legal options. This increased awareness will serve to build understanding about:
- What “Red Flag” laws are
- Why “Red Flag” laws are relevant to intimate partner violence
- How to support survivors and those at risk of intimate partner violence in navigating “Red Flag” Laws
- How “Red Flag” laws can help to keep communities safe
Project Outcomes
The project will develop educational tools and resources on “Red Flag” laws tailored to three key audiences: public, legal, and GBV sector. It will do so through existing CREVAWC projects, leveraging the established reach and expertise of Family Violence and Family Law (FVFL), Learning Network (LN) and Neighbours, Friends and Families (NFF) projects.
- Education for Legal Professionals: This stream will be delivered as part of the ongoing Family Violence Family Law (FVFL) project, in collaboration with existing expert advisory committees to provide education and information on “Red Flag” laws to family law professionals, including jurisdiction specific guidance through the development of resources and webinars.
- GBV Sector Education and Toolkit: This stream will be developed and disseminated through the Learning Network (LN), engaging with the LN Provincial Advisory Group, and GBV service providers, to develop a resource series, with accessible digital products, including webinars, toolkits, survivor-led resources, and targeted campaigns to strengthen GBV sector capacity.
- Public Education Campaign: This stream will be implemented as part of Neighbours, Friends and Families (NFF), which will lead the development of plain language educational materials including an online resource hub on “Red Flag” laws, and conduct a public education and social media campaign, with a focus on rural areas.
Project funded by Public Safety Canada
Questions
For more information about the Red Flag Law Awareness project, contact Program Manager, Emily Tallon, at etallon@uwo.ca.
For more information from Public Safety Canada:
