New online resource helps victims of violence navigate supports, services

“When you’re in the midst of a situation that involves abuse or violence, it is understandable to feel as though you are alone. You are not alone!”

This is the essential opening message of a new handbook designed to help survivors of violent relationships navigate their next steps to safety.

In a news release, the Kingston Frontenac Anti-Violence Coordinating Committee (KFACC) proudly announced the launch of the new resource for victims and survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), gender-based violence (GBV), and family violence (FV) in the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) region. The Kingston Frontenac IPV Survivors Handbook: Navigational Pathways for Community Resources and Safety Information, available now having officially launched on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, is a consolidation of information from the many agencies serving victims and survivors in Kingston and the surrounding area.

KFACC explains that its online handbook was created to help those dealing with abuse and violence in their personal relationships to access tools and services available in their community, so they can make informed choices about their situation. The handbook contains important checklists, community resources, navigational paths for those resources, and safety information. 

Leigh Martins is the Training, Education, and Volunteer Coordinator for Kingston Interval House, which is part of KFACC. Martins explained, “Ideally, down the road, we would love to have a facility where it's a one-stop shop for the community members who need support for intimate partner violence to come and get support from all different agencies. But obviously that's not something that can happen quickly."

So to fill that gap, for now, the committee decided to create an online resource that is freely available to anyone who might need it. 

"It's free, and anybody can use it: survivors, family members," said Martins. "We just really want to spread awareness and information so that hopefully it's helpful to survivors in our community.” 

The initiative is part of a broader effort to reduce barriers to support and information for victims and survivors of violence. The resource is complete with live web links and contact information for both local and provincial agencies, active QR codes, and a linked table of contents for easier access to the information in the 144-page document.

The Kingston Frontenac IPV Survivor Handbook: Navigational Pathways for Community Resources and Safety Information can be read or downloaded for free from the main page of the KFACC website and will be available from other Kingston community partners as well.

KFACC is a volunteer non-profit group that works to end intimate partner abuse and sexual violence. The group engages in problem-solving, identifies service gaps, creates public awareness, and develops community resources. Some of the sectors represented on the committee are law enforcement and justice, military, shelter and housing, health, and counselling support.

The handbook's creation was made possible with funding from The Community Foundation for Kingston & Area. KFACC also thanks the Peterborough Domestic Abuse Network for its help.