Article content

Sonia Bitar is no stranger to the issue of domestic violence in immigrant communities.

The former citizenship court judge is executive director of Edmonton’s Changing Together, a centre for immigrant women and their children. For years, Bitar has worked to empower women, helping them to understand their legal rights, flee abusive family situations, and integrate into the Canadian community. Many of the women and girls she works with are the very ones the federal Conservative Party says it’s trying to help with its promised new “barbaric cultural practices” tip line.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Paula Simons: 'Barbaric' hotline no solution to serious issues of abuse Back to video

For Bitar, an immigrant from Lebanon, the party’s campaign pledge provokes a sharp reaction.

“Oh my God. Are we still using these kinds of words?” she says. “Are we now saying there are two different kinds of Canadians? I’m very disappointed.”

It isn’t just the inflammatory language that bothers Bitar. She knows the oppressive domestic and cultural situations that women who are new to Canada can face. In her experience, the best way to assist women at risk is to build trust, and to reach out to them in their own languages. Many, she says, don’t know their rights in Canada. Others don’t trust the police. Others feel too economically or socially dependent on their husbands or families to break away. It can take time and patience to help them.