Joanne Ferland, a resident of North Bay, Ontario, had to start anew after leaving an abusive partner, facing drained bank accounts, hidden keys, and a disconnected cellphone. She credits her parents’ support for enabling her escape from the abusive relationship. Leveraging her experience as an intimate partner violence (IPV) survivor, Ferland initiated the Leap Into Financial Empowerment (LIFE) program last year. This program, aimed at assisting IPV survivors in organizing their finances, is believed to be a one-of-a-kind initiative in Canada.
Collaborating closely with aid organizations and the legal system in northeastern Ontario, Ferland directs survivors to the program. A fundamental aspect of the program is the establishment of a secure and complimentary checking account. Ferland emphasizes the importance of maintaining privacy and safety for participants, ensuring that no mail is delivered to their homes or unwanted calls are made. Financial guidance and budget planning are also offered to help domestic violence survivors reconstruct their lives.
To date, the program has supported 12 IPV survivors, with only one returning to their abuser, marking it a success in Ferland’s eyes. Equitable Bank granted $50,000 to expand the program to other northeastern Ontario communities such as Timmins, Hearst, Mattawa, Sturgeon Falls, and Kapuskasing.
Highlighting the alarming statistics related to IPV in Canada, Mathieu Shank, the regional manager for Nipissing East at Caisse Alliance, expressed his immediate support for Ferland’s program. Shank was taken aback by the prevalence of IPV, with 44% of women and girls in relationships reporting abuse from intimate partners. Shockingly, a woman is murdered by her intimate partner every six days in Canada. Shank emphasized the significance of addressing this issue, recognizing that a significant number of his female employees could be affected by IPV, a fact that he finds “staggering.”