Women Surviving the Criminal Justice System's Response to Domestic Violence
Thunder Bay Women's Court Watch Program

Download the 2008 report [here]

Download the 2009 report [here]


The Thunder Bay Women's Court Watch Program was initiated in May of 2007 through a partnership between the Northwestern Ontario Women's Centre and Faye Peterson Transition House.  This initiative will coordinate women, survivors of violence, students and volunteers who will observe woman abuse cases at the Thunder Bay Provincial Court House. 

The necessity for the Thunder Bay Women's Court Watch developed after numerous advocates working with local and regional women experiencing abuse noted repeated inconsistent and/or inappropriate response from the criminal court system. 

Information which will be collected by observers includes both qualitative and quantitative data such as bail requirements put on the accused, sentencing of perpetrators, and treatment of victims by court personnel.  The data, once compiled, will be compared from year to year to track changes in the court's response.

Presently the Thunder Bay Women's Court Watch Program follows criminal court cases, however it is the intention of the program to expand to include family court to collect data relating to woman abuse and custody and access decisions.

The Women's Court Watch is a research partner with the University of Western Ontario's Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children, and is funded by the Law Foundation of Ontario.

For further information please contact:

Debbie Zweep
Program Coordinator,
Thunder Bay Women's Court Watch Program
c/o Faye Peterson Transition House
P.O. Box 10172, Thunder Bay, ON  P7B 6T7
Ph: (807) 345-0450  ~  Fax: (807) 345-4550
Email: dzweep@fayepeterson.org

Court Watch Brochure

Volunteer Job Description

Volunteer Application