Lanark County Interval House and local police services are being held up as a model for how communities can work together to fight intimate partner violence.
During the latest episode of Silence Broken: The IPV Talks, executive director Aaron Lee described how collaboration with the Ontario Provincial Police in Lanark County and the Smiths Falls Police Service has evolved over time into a strong, victim-centred partnership.
What began years ago as tension between anti-violence agencies and police shifted after leaders chose to focus on victims first. That decision led to regular communication, joint appearances at community events such as Take Back the Night, and the creation of a local victim advocate program embedded within policing responses.
Lee said the approach has strengthened trust, improved information-sharing and expanded supports for survivors in both Lanark County and Smiths Falls. The county’s earlier IPV declaration was later followed by more than 100 communities across Ontario.
Lee said other communities are now looking to Lanark County as an example of how collaboration, prevention and transparency can change outcomes for victims.
You can listen to this week’s podcast below.