5th Symposium - At the heart of rights (2009)
Nearly 25 years after the adoption of the UN Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power, we felt it essential to take a closer look at the rights of victims of crime. Has the recognition and enshrinement of these rights in a body of national and international legislation led to a concrete improvement in the experience of victims? What about the right to be informed, the right to be treated with courtesy, fairness, understanding and respect for dignity and privacy, the right to care, the right to be heard and to participate, and the right to safety?
From a historical and critical perspective, the symposium invited speakers and participants to delve into the heart of these rights, tracing their evolution and highlighting the challenges involved in implementing them. Is recognition of these rights effective? How have these rights been actualized in practices, legislation and the various reforms implemented over the last few decades? What existing and alternative remedies are available to ensure that these rights are recognized? Should we adopt other rights, other legal tools? What obstacles stand in the way of full recognition of the rights of crime victims? What are the prospects for the future?
The symposium was also an opportunity to mark the 25th anniversary of Plaidoyer-Victimes and to attend the premiere of the documentary Plaidoyer pour les victimes… Une histoire d’engagement, testifying to the commitment of pioneers to the advancement of victims’ rights in Quebec.
4th symposium - Victims of crime: acting with respect for the individual (2004)
The theme of the4th Plaidoyer-Victimes conference was Victims of crime: acting with respect for the individual. The event coincided with the Association’s 20th anniversary. Some 375 speakers, researchers, professionals, students and victims gathered to take part in some thirty workshops, training sessions and conferences. Coming from all regions of Quebec, France and Belgium, they took advantage of the opportunity to share and perfect their knowledge and expertise in victimology. The diversity of the intervention environments represented (public safety, justice, health care, correctional services, associations and communities, teaching) enabled participants to broaden their horizons and become more open to the realities of other fields of practice.
To give concrete expression once again to its commitment to victims of crime, Plaidoyer-Victimes organized an activity with victims’ loved ones Quand la violence frappe l’un des nôtres… Les proches prennent la parole (When violence strikes one of our own… Loved ones speak up), during which six close relatives of homicide victims were invited to talk about their experiences: the difficulties encountered, but also the positive and constructive support received from various aid resources and from society in general. This awareness-raising activity stimulated broader reflection on the notion of respect, encompassing not only victims of crime, but also their loved ones.
3rd symposium - From powerlessness to autonomy (1996)
The3rd colloquium, which brought together 335 participants, was a time to take stock, question our practices, open up to other experiences, and share our dreams and projects. It’s clear that we’re no longer starting from scratch, or close to it. The path has been mapped out, and we can now draw inspiration from the experience of many different environments. Gains have also been made in victimology research, with new avenues and themes being explored. We’ve focused on issues or facets of criminal victimization that had previously been little explored.
Despite tangible progress, many challenges remain. In this symposium, as in others, we were reminded of the absence of services for victims in remote areas, the lack of training for workers, the inadequacy of funding, the non-recognition of volunteer work, and the exhaustion of resources. But the workshop discussions, the testimonies of the victims and the presentations by the various stakeholders certainly helped us to take a step back, and provided some parameters for the years to come.
Caught up in the daily grind, it’s hard to measure progress and judge results. We tend to focus on the obstacles, pointing out the shortcomings. This symposium demonstrated the determination of a number of players in various fields to change things, to innovate, to think outside the box.
2nd conference - Helping victims of crime: fiction or reality? (1989)
Bringing together some 375 participants, this2nd colloquium favors diversity and originality in its themes; victims are panelists in workshops; congress participants are invited, along with the general public, to an evening event in the form of a “Right to Speak” for victims of crime. The conferences and discussions show that real progress has been made in the field of victim assistance, but like a leitmotif, one phrase recurs in the remarks and conclusions: much remains to be done. This means continuing to raise awareness, allocating additional resources, improving training for those involved, and remaining vigilant and critical about the effective recognition of victims’ rights.
Nevertheless, the symposium provides food for thought on the challenges ahead, and opens the door to sectors that had previously kept their distance. And the best thing about the symposium? The “tightly knit” links forged between members. As the Association’s driving force, their solidarity and individual commitment are the key to the success of this event.
1st provincial symposium on victims of crime (1986)
This is the first time that Quebec stakeholders have engaged in a collective reflection on issues such as the specific needs of victims, the organization of support services, and victim assistance policies and legislation. The aim is to take stock of the situation of victims of violence, paying particular attention to the physical and mental health dimensions of criminal victimization. What’s more, we want to go beyond the stage of a simple awareness-raising symposium and lay the foundations for a social policy towards victims in Quebec.
The proceedings of this symposium, published in a special issue of the INFO PV Bulletin in the spring of 1986, summarize the exchanges between the 150 participants. All the workshops emphasized the need for concerted action, the urgent need to disseminate and share information, and to support the creation, development and survival of services.
A question of equity: assistance for victims of crime (1996)
This monograph provides a critical overview of the main initiatives and research carried out in Quebec and Canada between 1970 and 1995. A portrait of the evolution of victim assistance services and of legislative reforms aimed at recognizing victims’ rights, this book also bears witness to the concerns that first attracted the attention of researchers.
In a way, it’s the legacy of the many pioneers who paved the way for victimology in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada.
Child victims: when life is not a fairy tale (2001)
Ten years after the publication of the thematic bulletin L’enfant victime dans un monde d’adulte, the Association presents a new review on this theme. This publication takes a fresh look at the victimization of minors, based on the research and initiatives of recent years. Topics covered include the psychosocial factors of filicide, the protection of child victims and witnesses, and child deaths.
The child victim in an adult world (1991)
The bulletin covers a number of topics, including violence prevention in schools, child abduction, sexual abuse intervention and the impact of domestic violence on the health of women and children.