Improving justice system response to intimate-partner violence, sexual violence

ONE year after receiving the Stanton Report, the Province is advancing reforms to strengthen British Columbia’s response to intimate-partner and sexual violence, improve supports for victims and survivors, and increase accountability across the justice system.

“We commissioned the Stanton Report because too many survivors of sexual violence and intimate-partner violence told us the justice system was not meeting their needs,” said Niki Sharma, Attorney General. “Since receiving the report, we have made real progress addressing the systemic barriers victims face. We know there is more work to do to create real, long-lasting change, which is why we will be taking steps to establish strong accountability for system change to ensure victims and survivors receive the support and protection they deserve.”

The Stanton Report is an independent review commissioned by government and conducted by Kim Stanton. It examined how B.C.’s legal system responds to intimate-partner and sexual violence.

Since receiving the report in June 2025, government has advanced work on 19 of its 21 recommendations and made progress to improve safety, access to justice and support for victims and survivors. Key actions include:

* advocating for federal Criminal Code amendments that are now law and strengthen protections for victims and survivors of intimate-partner and gender-based violence while helping address systemic delays

* strengthening supports for families experiencing violence as they navigate separation and divorce, including through expanded legal aid services and family-court support workers

* advancing civil law reforms that make it easier for victims to seek justice when intimate images are shared without consent

* intervening as the only provincial government in the Supreme Court of Canada case that established the tort (a civil litigation category) of intimate-partner violence, giving survivors another avenue to seek accountability and compensation

Many of the Stanton Report recommendations align with recommendations from the BC Coroners Service death-review-panel report, released in April 2026. The Province continues to advance actions in response to both reports.

Building on the progress, the Province intends to introduce legislation to establish a new accountability mechanism within government to lead and co-ordinate the government-wide approach for justice system reforms related to intimate-partner violence and sexual violence.

The proposed role will help make people safer by ensuring efforts to prevent violence, protect victims and survivors, and improve access to justice are co-ordinated, monitored and sustained throughout government and the justice system. It responds directly to findings in the Stanton Report and the BC Coroners Service death-review-panel report that no government entity currently has the responsibility or authority to lead long-term planning and co-ordination on the issues.

The new role would provide leadership and oversight for:

* developing and implementing a long-term approach to strengthening the justice system response to intimate-partner violence and sexual violence

* developing and maintaining a provincewide policy framework that guides how justice system partners work together and supports a co-ordinated response across the justice system to improve the experience of survivors accessing the justice system

* monitoring the policy framework to assess the effectiveness of justice system responses and support continuous improvement in the justice sector

The Province intends to establish the role before the end of 2026 to improve the experience of survivors accessing the justice system and support prevention efforts to better protect victims and survivors from violence.

Work is also underway on legislation to modernize B.C.’s Family Law Act to strengthen protections for survivors of family violence. Anticipated changes include updating the definition of family violence to recognize coercive control and other factors, as well as strengthening protection orders in B.C.

The proposed legislation builds on the Province’s ongoing work to improve safety, access to justice and support for victims and survivors of intimate-partner violence and sexual violence.

Through legislative reforms, survivor supports, prevention initiatives and a co-ordinated, cross-government approach, B.C. is working to address the root causes of violence, improve accountability and strengthen confidence in the justice system.

Nina Krieger, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, said: “Intimate-partner violence and sexual violence have devastating impacts on individuals, families and communities. Improving public safety means ensuring that justice system partners are working together to identify risks, intervene earlier and better protect people from harm. Our government is committed to working in tandem to support more consistent responses to violence and help make communities safer throughout British Columbia.”

Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity, said: “Survivors of intimate-partner and sexual violence have told us they need systems that are easier to navigate, more responsive to their needs and better co-ordinated. The progress we have made over the past year, together with the accountability measures we are proposing, will help ensure survivors are heard, supported and protected while we continue working to prevent violence before it occurs.”

Ninu Kang, executive director, Ending Violence Association of BC, said: “Dr. Kim Stanton captured the complexity of barriers victims/survivors face as they flee gender-based violence. In her report, she went well beyond reviewing the justice system response, recognizing the important role of community-based victim-support programs. We are grateful for the regular reporting back on the progress and stay committed to supporting the government in making lasting cultural and systemic change that will give back safety, dignity and freedom to all survivors of sexual and intimate-partner violence.”

Learn More:

* To read government’s September update to the Stanton Report, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/about-bcs-justice-system/justice-reform-initiatives/systemic-review#updates-reports

* To learn more about Safe and Supported: B.C.’s Gender-Based Violence Action Plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/30035