Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness (Abuse Hurts)

Published purpose

Through this 41-month project, the Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness (CCAA) will adapt and test the Impacts of Recovery Innovations (IMRI) Framework within the York Region GBV sector to support the transformation of services and systems toward a recovery orientation, and facilitate improved awareness, understanding and application of secondary prevention activities. To do so, the project will engage persons with lived experience and community partners to cocreate and deliver education material, storytelling by survivors and trauma-informed processes and practices through a virtual community platform. CCAA will undertake knowledge mobilization activities on its virtual platform. It will also disseminate lessons learned and knowledge gained from the project through publications and community information sessions so that others may replicate it or expand upon it. An external evaluator will measure and assess the impact of the framework. With the supplemental funds and 12-month extension provided in early 2026, Abuse Hurts will establish a trauma-informed community learning space to provide safe access to the virtual community platform (EmpowerWeb) for clients receiving services; engage men and boys as allies through co-designed programming that promotes healthy relationships and prevention of gender-based violence; and deliver live knowledge-sharing sessions to strengthen coordination and awareness of community supports and promising practices. Through these activities, the project will deepen equitable access to prevention information, challenge harmful norms, and strengthen coordinated community responses, further advancing GBV prevention.