Animal abuse often occurs before or alongside the abuse of people. This is known as the Violence Link. In a social system that is over taxed and underfunded, the sector marginalizes animal welfare, even though evidence shows there is greater benefit in acting holistically, thereby providing better support for victims and reducing the vulnerability of animals and people.

The Canadian Violence Link Conference is an innovative, ground-breaking event that examines the link between interpersonal abuse and animal abuse, looking at the vulnerabilities in both populations and how they intersect. This biennial conference brings together criminal justice system stakeholders that work to prevent and address violence against people or animals for cross-sectoral training on how to collaborate and stop the cycle of violence.

Thank you to everyone who attended the 2021 Violence Link Conference on November 4 & 5, 2021. A special thank you to the incredible speakers, program committee and sponsors who all made the event possible. The next biennial conference will take place in the fall of 2023. If you would like to receive updates on this conference, which is the only one of its kind in Canada, please add your name here. You can also learn more about our work with the Canadian Violence Link Coalition here.