Safety Planning Resources for NWT Women now Available

The Northwest Territories Status of Women Council and Gahcho Kué Mine are proud to announce new safety planning resources are now available to members of the public who are facing intimate partner violence.

The project was launched in mid-2021 thanks to a grant of $65,000 from De Beers Group and Mountain Province Diamonds, $25,000 from the NWT Victims Assistance Committee, and in-kind contributions from the NWT Status of Women Council.

The project is designed to enable women to put together individualized safety plans in a discrete and safe manner using a variety of tools:

• Website resources
• Print resources available in each community of the NWT
• Web app

The project fulfils one of the recommendations from We Hear You, a 2020 report published by the NWT Status of Women Council based on interviews with women who have experienced intimate partner violence. This project also aligns with the De Beers Building Forever Strategy that aims to create thriving communities through the implementation of programs that support vulnerable members of the population.

Louise Elder, Executive Director of the NWT Status of Women Council: “These safety planning resources have been developed in direct response to concerns and needs identified by women experiencing intimate partner violence in the NWT. They told us they want discreet and timely access to accurate information to help them plan and make decisions to keep them and their loved ones safe. Everyone deserves to be safe and to live free of violence.”

Lyndon Clark, General Manager of Gahcho Kué Mine: “De Beers Group has a zero tolerance policy for domestic violence and these resources are critical tools to help people exit from unsafe situations.”

De Beers Group (51%) is operator of Gahcho Kué Mine in the Northwest Territories, with joint venture partner Mountain Province Diamonds (49%). The contribution to the NWT Status of Women Council supports one of the goals in the Gahcho Kué Mine Building Forever plan to deliver lasting, positive contributions to the company’s host communities and also aligns with De Beers Group’s internal zero tolerance policy toward gender based violence.

The NWT Status of Women Council was established in 1990 to advance gender equality in the Northwest Territories through public awareness initiatives, community engagement and development activities, and advocating for change. Its groundbreaking We Hear You report released in 2020 included 21 recommendations on how to improve services available to women experiencing intimate partner violence.

The resources are available on the NWT Status of Women website in electronic format and printed versions are being distributed to agencies and organizations supporting women throughout the NWT over the coming weeks. The safety planning app is available in the App Store for iOS devices, and Google Play for Android devices.