Department of Justice Canada

This report describes the findings from the 2022–2023 CAC/CYAC National Operational Survey. Given that many new CACs/CYACs have been established in the eight years since the last operational survey, the purpose of the survey was to provide an updated national picture of how CACs/CYACs work, their...

Child Advocacy Centres (CACs) and Child and Youth Advocacy Centres (CYACs) arose out of a need to reduce stress placed on child/youth victims during sexual abuse investigations. Previously, a lack of coordination between social services and the criminal justice system meant victims were...

This report describes key findings from Justice Canada’s 2019 national Survey of Lawyers and Quebec Notaries on Family Law and Family Violence in Canada (“the 2019 survey”). The purpose of this survey was to assess how legal advisors identify and respond to family violence in their family law...

This report summarizes five thought papers written by subject-matter experts to assist family law legal advisers in identifying and responding to family violence in diverse communities. The thought papers focused on the following population groups: racialized groups; 2SLGBTQI+ individuals; Muslim...

This report offers an examination of data on violence within families, highlighting how it may be a relevant factor to consider in a family law dispute. In a family law context, violence, abuse and neglect within families can have wide-ranging, long-term effects. Family and criminal courts may...

The Survey of Maintenance Enforcement Programs (SMEP) is an annual survey that collects statistical and descriptive information on child and spousal support payments and cases from maintenance enforcement programs. MEPs exist in every province and territory to assist in the enforcement of child...