High Risk Project Evaluation Report

This evaluation of the High Risk Project (HRP) at the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto (WACT)
was carried out to meet the requirements set out by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and assist
WACT to review its work in the area of High Risk (HR) over the past three years. The main
purpose of the HRP Evaluation is to:
i) Assess the perceptions and experiences of the HRP, in terms of its capacity to analyze and
provide options in high-risk cases;
ii) Assess the perception of key community actors who can provide information as to how
the HRP functions with regards to increasing options for women in high risk situations;
iii) Assess the perceptions and experiences of people who have presented cases to the High
Risk Consult Team (HRCT), as well as those who have not presented cases to the Team,
and examine their absence from the HRCT;
iv) Evaluate a selection of the trainings and workshops conducted by WACT for their
content and effectiveness
v) Identify systemic gaps that have been detected in the implementation of the HRP.
The evaluation will enable WACT to enhance their understanding of the multiple dimensions of
woman abuse in high risk situations. It will draw on lessons learned in order to further develop the
High Risk Project protocols, as WACT continues to work on high-risk cases of woman abuse.
Data for evaluating the HRP was collected in March 2008 from six participants who have been
engaged in the project in the broader violence against women sector. Of the six participants, four
have been involved with the project since its inception. The participants, who were selected through
a collaborative approach with WACT, have been affiliated with a range of women’s organizationsthat include social and health services and community-based organizations. Four of the interviews
were conducted in person at participants’ workplaces, while the other two interviews were
conducted over telephone and email. The interviews, which constitute the primary source of data for
this report, were supplemented by secondary reviews of data on violence against women
internationally, and woman abuse in Toronto, more specifically. The data was also supplemented by
evaluations from the trainings that were done for a variety of community agencies, as well as
evaluation forms that were completed by case presenters of the HRCT.
The findings of this evaluation emphasize the strengths and achievements of the High Risk Project,
as well as identify some of the gaps in the Project’s structure, services and coordination. These are
summarized below.

Details:
Prepared for: The Woman Abuse Council of Toronto 1652 Keele Street, Suite 129, Toronto, Ontario M6M 3W3 April, 2008 By Dr. Amani El Jack (PhD), Womens Studies, York University 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3 E-mail: amani@yorku.ca

Type/Format of Resource: WomanACT publications

Category/Topic of interest:
Woman Abuse

Population Group:
Others

Language of Resource:
English

Year of Publication: 2008

Associated Document:
High Risk Project Evaluation Report (Acrobat PDF file)