Family Law Blog

As a parent, nothing is more important than your child’s safety and well-being.

Coercive control, commonly recognized as a form of domestic abuse, involves a pattern of behaviour intended to dominate and control an intimate partner. This is achieved through intimidation, manipulation, isolation, and coercion.

According to the Government of Canada (2022), an estimated 44% of women aged 15 and older (about 6.2 million women) have experienced some form of abuse in their intimate relationships.

In Ahluwalia v Ahluwalia, 2022 ONSC 1303, the Ontario superior court recognized a new tort of family violence and awarded the respondent mother $150,000 in compensatory, aggregated, and punitive damages.

Domestic violence, or family violence as it is now often called in Canada, is a serious matter which can have severe repercussions for everyone involved, including criminal proceedings in some instances.

Raising allegations of family violence in a separation or divorce has historically been a risky endeavour. 

Individuals subject to family violence in a family law case often seek a Protection Order from the court.

It is now clear that incidences of domestic violence seem to be increasing during COVID 19. Unfortunately, escaping from an abusive partner is more difficult when there are restrictions on travel and physical contact between people.

An Emergency Protection Order (“EPO”) can be granted by a Alberta Provincial Court Judge or a Justice of the Peace on short notice.  EPO Orders are put in place to deal with incidents of family violence. Family violence includes the following