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RESOLVE Alberta

Research and Education for Solutions to Violence and Abuse (RESOLVE) is a tri-prairie research network that co-ordinates and supports research aimed at ending violence, especially violence involving girls and women.

The goal of RESOLVE is to reduce the incidence and impact of violence and abuse by:

  • creating and evaluating strategies to address violence and abuse;
  • communicating our research results to the public and policy makers;
  • promoting education, awareness, and social change.

To accomplish this we:

  • work with community groups to identify areas where additional research needs to be done;
  • develop action-oriented research projects;
  • work in interdisciplinary teams in partnership with community groups and other universities and centres in Canada;
  • we train students and members of the community organization in research methods.

 

The RESOLVE network is affiliated with the University of Calgary, University of Saskatchewan, University of Manitoba, University of Regina, University of Alberta, University of Winnipeg, and Brandon University.
Click here to learn more about the Research Centres

Updates


How can the Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART) programme provide support to individuals experiencing domestic violence and abuse?

 

In a recently published article, Stefan Kurbatfinski and Dr. Nicole Letourneau of RESOLVE Alberta explore how supporting individuals facing domestic violence through DART in emergency departments is crucial for prompt care and intervention.

 

Click here to read the full article.

Woman in medical uniform standing in hallway of medical centre

Dr. Nicole Letourneau discusses the rise in intimate partner violence rates across Canada

In an interview with CTV News, Dr. Nicole Letourneau, Scientific Director of AVA (Alliance Against Violence & Adversity) and Director of RESOLVE Alberta, discusses the concerning rise in intimate partner violence rates in Canada, particularly in the Prairie provinces, and the RESOLVE Network's call to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Click here to watch the interview

 

RESOLVing Violence Podcast - New Episode!

From Research to Action: Transforming Sexual Violence Education in Saskatchewan

About this episode:

AVA’s Women’s and Girls’ Health Hub has partnered with RESOLVE Saskatchewan to deliver their next episode. In their latest episode, members of the Sexual Assault Services of Saskatchewan (SASS) discuss their work on the Saskatchewan Sexual Violence Education Initiative (SSVE)

Stream the RESOLVing Violence podcast on your favourite podcast platform or listen here.

About the podcast:

The province of Saskatchewan is home to a vibrant research community and hundreds of organizations and service providers working to prevent, respond to, and assist with recovery from violence and abuse. Through our podcast episodes, we hope to facilitate that transfer of knowledge from the research community to these applied stakeholders and people with lived experience, to make staying up to date on current research more accessible and efficient. Learn more here

International Women's Day March 8 2024, image of three women smiling

Join RESOLVE on March 8th, 2024, as we celebrate International Women’s Day and unite with women committed to forging gender equality worldwide!

This day serves as a reminder of the extraordinary accomplishments of women across history and their persistent efforts for gender equality, inclusivity, and empowerment! Every day, numerous women join forces to inspire, motivate, and empower others, fostering unity and advocating for immediate action against gender inequality. Together, they strive to cultivate a world free from biases, stereotypes, and gender discrimination.

Although there has been substantial progress in achieving gender equality worldwide, a growing concern revolves around technology-enabled violence. According to the United Nations, 1 in 10 women in the European Union had experienced cyber-harassment since the age of 15, including having received unwanted and offensive sexually explicit emails or SMS messages, or offensive and inappropriate advances on social networking sites. Also, alarming, a recent regional study found that 60 per cent of female internet users in the Arab states had been exposed to online violence in the past year alone. These concerning figures depict the increasing prevalence of technology-facilitated violence primarily targeting women.

RESOLVE Manitoba's most recent research study, COVID-19 and the Experiences of IPV Survivors and Service Providers, sheds light on this alarming trend concerning technology-facilitated violence within Canada. The conclusive findings of RESOLVE's latest final report emphasize the past experiences of survivors and their increased susceptibility to technology-enabled violence, highlighting a concerning and worsening problem. Despite the risks associated with technology, RESOLVE proposes its potential as a crucial tool in supporting victims and survivors of intimate partner violence, providing a ray of hope amid these difficulties. Learn more here. 

On International Women's Day, RESOLVE invites you to help honour the achievements of women, challenge gender stereotypes, and promote equality and empowerment for all.

Here are some ways you can get involved:

  1. Attend virtual events/webinars on March 8, 2024.
  2. Share your stories and experiences of women who inspire you on social media using #IWD2024.
  3. Educate yourself and others about gender equality issues and ways to take action.
  4. Speak up and challenge gender stereotypes.

Together, we can create a more inclusive and equitable world where women and girls can live their lives to the fullest potential. Let's celebrate International Women's Day with a renewed commitment to advancing gender equality and empowering women in all aspects of life.

 

The Alberta Ministry of Children and Family Services is running a family violence prevention public awareness campaign to bring awareness to the Family Violence Info Line for survivors and bystanders of family violence.

 

(403)-310-1818 Call, Text or Chat

 

Whether reaching out for themselves or on behalf of someone they care about, people often feel scared and don’t know what to do. The Alberta Ministry of Children and Family Services aims to increase awareness that help is available, and to connect Albertans impacted by family violence to supports and services through the Family Violence Info Line.

 

Click here for publication resources that can be downloaded and shared in public places or via social media platforms.

Image of person's nose and mouth with words "I don't feel safe and I don't know what to do" written over the mouth

The RESOLVE Network's Call To Prairie Provinces to Declare Intimate Partner Violence and Epidemic

On average, one woman or girl is killed every other day, somewhere in our country, mostly by men. Every week, one woman is killed by her male partner.

The Prairie provinces have the highest domestic violence and domestic homicide rates across Canada.

The RESOLVE Network underscores the urgency of addressing domestic violence as a provincial emergency and public health crisis in the Prairie Provinces. We call on the provincial governments of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta to declare domestic violence an epidemic and to act immediately to mitigate its devastating consequences.

Read more here

Recently tragedy struck our community - another life lost to domestic violence. This is a harsh reality, not just a statistic. We stand united against family violence. Share, educate, & support. Let's break the cycle together.

 

A woman in Canada is killed by her domestic partner every 6 days.

 

An all too familiar headline in the Calgary news: A woman was killed by her former husband outside an elementary school, despite taking all the right steps to protect herself and her children. As family, friends and our community grieve this tragic loss, we renew our commitment to work to reduce family violence and help those facing the devastating impacts of domestic abuse.   

Stand with us, and our many community partners, as we work together to create safer communities for women, girls, gender-diverse peoples and families.

If you or someone you know is impacted by violence in their home or relationships, help is available. In Alberta, you can call or text the Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818 or click here to access support services and learn more about the warning signs of family violence.

adults' hands and child's hands cradling a purple ribbon
Woman with black hair leaning on window, hand on window

Remembrance Is Not Enough

In a recent article, Nicole Letourneau, Director of RESOLVE Alberta and Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Alliance Against Violence and Adversity (AVA), reflects on the 1989 tragedy in which a gunman murdered 14 young women and wounded 14 more at École Polytechnique de Montréal, the need for continued research and advocacy to address gender-based violence in Canada and a concerning lack of funding for this vital work.

Read the full article here

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

Thirty-four years ago, on December 6, 1989, a devastating event shook Canada and the world. At the École Polytechnique, an engineering school in Montreal, a gunman committed a horrific act of gender-based violence, targeting female students and claiming the lives of 14 young women. This tragedy, known as the Montreal Massacre, stands as a poignant reminder of the lethal consequences of misogyny and gender discrimination. As we commemorate this somber anniversary, we reflect not only on the lives lost but also the victims of other forms of gender-based violence in Canada, including intimate partner violence and murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG).
 
The Montreal Massacre unfolded on a December evening, when a 25-year-old man entered the École Polytechnique armed with a semi-automatic rifle. Declaring his hatred for feminists, whom he blamed for ruining his life, the gunman embarked on a brutal rampage that lasted nearly 20 minutes. His targeted attack left 14 women dead, and 10 women injured, before he took his own life. This heinous act was not just a mass shooting; it was a deliberate attack on women and the values of equality and inclusion they represent.



The 14 women who lost their lives were more than just victims of a senseless act of violence; they were daughters, sisters, friends, and aspiring engineers who had dreams and aspirations. Their loss is a stark reminder of the cost of hatred and intolerance. Each year, on December 6, now commemorated as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada, we remember:



Names of those killed in Dec. 6 massacre in Montreal

The Montreal Massacre was a catalyst for change in Canada, sparking debates on gender-based violence, and misogyny in society. The tragedy heightened awareness about violence against women, and led to the establishment of RESOLVE as well as four other research centres on family and gender-based violence across Canada. To this day, RESOLVE continues to pursue its mandate and mission to conduct research, provide education, and raise awareness on issues of gender-based violence, including violence against women and girls.

Although the Montreal Massacre happened 34 years ago, violence against women and girls continues to be a disturbing reality across the Prairies and across Canada. According to the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability (2022) report, in 2022, 184 women and girls were violently killed, primarily by men; meaning that one woman or girl was killed every two days. Also, Indigenous women and girls are 12 times more likely to be murdered or missing than any other women in Canada, and 16 times more likely than white women (National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, 2019).
 
While the Montreal Massacre was a turning point, the fight against gender-based violence continues. This event serves as a reminder of the ongoing need to challenge sexism, misogyny, and inequality in all their forms. Educational initiatives, policy reforms, and community efforts play a crucial role in creating a more equitable and safe society for all.


 
As we commemorate the December 6 École Polytechnique tragedy, we honor the memories of those who lost their lives and recognize the profound impact of this event on Canadian society. It is a call to action to continue working towards a world free of gender-based violence, a world where the aspirations and lives of all individuals are valued and protected. Let us remember, reflect, and recommit to these ideals in honour of the lives we lost on that tragic day.

Click on the image to read the full article

Upcoming Events


Current Recruitment

We are currently not recruiting for any studies. Please check back at a later time.


Other research you may be interested in:

HeLTI Canada was developed in partnership with the World Health Organization and is one of four separate but harmonized studies focused on developing evidence-based interventions that span from preconception across pregnancy and into the postpartum period and early childhood. Their purpose is to evaluate whether technology-based care can improve the health of families before pregnancy (preconception), during pregnancy, and into early childhood and promote child development while preventing obesity and chronic diseases.

They are recruiting women and their partners who are planning to have a baby in the next 3 years and live in the provinces of Ontario (cities of Toronto, Ottawa, and Hamilton and the health regions of Durham, York, Peel, Halton, and Niagara) and Alberta (Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary and surrounding area)

Click here to see if you are eligible and for more information about the study


Contact Us

There are many ways for individuals, groups and social agencies to get involved, contact us if you:

  • Are interested in one of the research areas or a new field of study involving violence and abuse;
  • Have identified a research need and would like to develop a project in collaboration with us;
  • Would like to receive news about seminars, conferences, and public addresses we will be sponsoring;
  • Would like RESOLVE publications and research reports or
  • Would like to volunteer at RESOLVE.

The RESOLVE Alberta is located at the University of Calgary, on the traditional territory of the Treaty 7 peoples who include the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Piikani and Kainai First Nations), Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Stoney Nakoda (Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley First Nations). The land is also the traditional home to Metis Nation Region 3. We are grateful to be able work, live and recreate in these beautiful lands.