Standing Together is the Government of Nova Scotia’s commitment to work with community organizations, groups and experts to build an action plan to disrupt harmful cycles of domestic violence.

Domestic violence affects many Nova Scotians and can happen in any relationship. Evidence shows that women are the primary victims and men are the primary perpetrators. In Nova Scotia, 79% of domestic violence victims are women. These threats to women’s safety can affect their health, social and economic well-being, and that of their children and families.

The goals of Standing Together are to:

  • prevent domestic violence by disrupting cycles of violence and ensuring that Nova Scotians are better prepared to develop healthy, violence-free relationships
  • support victims of domestic violence with an improved system of programs that help them rebuild their lives and prevent violence in the future
  • shift policies and interventions so support systems better respond to people’s needs, understand and promote gender equality, and address barriers facing the most vulnerable Nova Scotians

A collaborative approach

During the first phase of Standing Together, the Status of Women Office worked closely with community, government and academic partners to better understand what is needed to prevent domestic violence.

Standing Together provided funding to support over 80 projects, programs, and collaborations to help community organizations and government agencies test new, innovative ideas to prevent violence and support those affected by it.

Learning and innovation

Funded initiatives and collaborations included an evaluation and learning process that allowed the Status of Women Office to explore outcomes, gain better insight into domestic violence, create conditions for change and work toward preventing domestic violence.

Going forward, investment in prevention at all levels must be prioritized, and primary prevention must be the top priority.

Supports for victims and families

Government is committed to ensuring Nova Scotians get the support they need and can develop relationships free of violence. Government has introduced initiatives including domestic violence court programs in Halifax and Sydney, and legal changes that let victims of domestic violence take leave from work without fear of losing their jobs.

Government also invested in shelter infrastructure and second-stage housing to increase options for women leaving violence and rebuilding their lives.

All the government investments and community collaboration initiatives that Standing Together supports aim to improve outcomes for women and girls in Nova Scotia.

Help is available

If you are or have experienced domestic abuse, you’re not alone. There are supports available to you.

If you’re in immediate danger, call 911.

If you’re seeking help or are looking for information about abuse, you can call the Transition House Association of Nova Scotia’s 24-hour toll-free line: 1-855-225-0220

To connect with community resources, including helplines for men, women or all genders, call 211. The helplines are free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.