By Cecilia Nasmith

A $100,000 grant from the Ontario government will support and expand the Intimate Partner Abuse Response Strategy program at Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre. 

Executive Director Nancy Johnston was joined by members of both Cobourg and Port Hope police services, as well as Cobourg and Port Hope councillors, for the announcement. 

The program began as a pilot-project collaboration between Cornerstone and the Cobourg police several years back, with the police service helping guide victims of domestic violence to appropriate services at Cornerstone that could help move them forward to a stronger future - at the earliest opportunity when the chances of success are best. Now that the grant will allow it to be expanded to the Port Hope Police Service, Johnston said, it has become an innovative framework that can be applied to other interested police services over a larger geographic region. 

Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland saluted this collaboration between the professionals who provide the services for this vulnerable sector and the professionals on the front lines responding to what he termed "this devastating and challenging issue."

"You guys work day in and day out towards community safety and wellness. There's never enough time, there's never enough resources and never enough money, and with what you have, you do incredible work."

"Intimate partner violence is an epidemic, impacting the safety and well-being of our community and communities across this province," Chief VandeGraaf declared.

"We have a small window as police officers to help families move toward a safer future. We must be prepared to capture this opportunity and connect with the experts to move them into safety. In our community, we are so lucky to see Cornerstone is the answer.

"This strategy is critical to ensuring our victims have the right start forward."

It began as a pilot project several years ago, and evolved as experience was gained and insights emerged. Now it is widely seen as a best practice in itself.

VandeGraaf recalls discussing the program with Port Hope Police Chief Tim Farquharson and his reaction.

"Tim said, 'it makes so much common sense, why are we not doing it?'"

VandeGraaf thanked the people at the Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation for their assistance in getting this grant, as well as Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini.

"We will continue to stand together against intimate partner violence. This epidemic will be solved if we focus on collaborative solutions."