Photo: Supreme Court of Canada
A landmark Supreme Court of Canada ruling is being called a major step forward for survivors of intimate partner violence.
On the latest episode of Silence Broken: The IPV Talks, Bob Perreault and Erin Lee spoke with Kirsten Mercer of Mercer Advocates about the decision in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia.
Mercer represented Luke’s Place at the Supreme Court hearing. She says the case began as a divorce proceeding after years of violence and abusive conduct in a marriage.
The court has now recognized that coercive control can cause harm on its own.
Mercer says the decision gives survivors new language that can be used in family law, civil claims and other legal settings.
Lee, who works with victims and survivors, says the ruling sends a powerful message from the country’s highest court.
Mercer says survivors can ask family lawyers or legal clinics, including Luke’s Place, about what the ruling could mean for them.
You can listen to the complete podcast below.
