In early October, EVA BC met virtually with Sergeant Jon Cawsey, a Saanich Police officer with over 21 years of experience, who currently leads the Regional Domestic Violence Unit (RDVU), and Sue Robinson, a Community-Based Victim Services (CBVS) worker who has been with the unit since its inception in 2012. Based within the Saanich Police Department near Victoria, the RDVU was established to increase victim safety and offender accountability by providing a coordinated, cross-jurisdictional response that ensures consistency in domestic violence investigations across the Capital Regional District.
Under Sergeant Cawsey’s leadership, the unit operates through a co-location model that brings together a multidisciplinary team composed of a Saanich police officer, a Victoria police officer, and an RCMP member, along with two victim support workers from the Victoria Women’s Transition House, a social worker from the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), a probation officer from Corrections, and dedicated administrative support staff. Together, this integrated team delivers a comprehensive, evidence-based, and trauma-informed approach to addressing high-risk intimate partner violence.
What is the RDVU’s process?
The RDVU receives referrals from a wide network of community partners, including police agencies, Crown Counsel, Victim Services, counselling services, and the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). Once a referral is received, the RDVU undertakes an internal triage process to determine whether the case meets the criteria for highest-risk intimate partner violence and potential future lethality. This process involves a collaborative review where each member of the multidisciplinary team — law enforcement, victim services, social work, probation, and corrections — contributes relevant information and professional insights. Through this collective information sharing, the RDVU develops a comprehensive picture of the circumstances surrounding both the survivor and the offender, allowing the team to coordinate a robust, individualized safety plan. These plans often include proactive strategies to enhance survivor and family safety, offender management and monitoring, and strengthened communication channels between all community partners involved.
Information sharing among partners is guided by established protocols and confidentiality agreements, ensuring that sensitive details are shared only as necessary to protect those at risk and to support offender accountability. This coordinated approach ensures that every professional working with the family — whether in policing, child welfare, or community support — has a clear understanding of the risks, interventions, and safety measures in place.
The RDVU continues to evaluate and refine its processes to enhance efficiency, accessibility, and collaboration. The team is committed to identifying innovative ways to streamline workflows, strengthen information-sharing systems, and expand its partnerships across the region. By fostering stronger connections with community organizations and service providers, the RDVU aims to improve accessibility for those seeking support, ensure more timely interventions, and increase its overall capacity to address high-risk intimate partner violence. Through these ongoing efforts, the unit continues to build a more connected, responsive, and effective network of safety and accountability for survivors, families, and the broader community.
How does RDVU approach offender management?
A distinctive aspect of the RDVU model is its proactive involvement in offender management. This includes maintaining contact with offenders, offering stability supports, and addressing practical needs.
“If RDVU members are supporting the offender around employment, substance treatment, housing, appointments — those are all stabilizing factors,” Jon said. “When he’s stable and doing well, he’s far less likely to reoffend or seek out the survivor. All roads lead back to victim safety.”
How central is collaboration to the RDVU’s success?
“Collaboration and information sharing are absolutely paramount,” emphasized Sergeant Jon Cawsey. “They’re the foundation of everything we do. Without open communication and trust between partners, this model simply couldn’t function. Every agency brings a unique lens and set of resources that, when combined, allow us to create the safest possible outcomes for survivors and their families.”
The RDVU’s work relies on daily collaboration across agencies and is supported by formal Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between community partners — including police departments, the Victoria Women’s Transition Society, and the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). Strong regional leadership has been essential to sustaining these integrated partnerships and ensuring the long-term success of the model.
“It’s the people and the partnerships that make this work possible,” added Sergeant Cawsey.“ Dealing with high-risk domestic violence can be incredibly challenging and emotionally heavy but being surrounded by a dedicated team — professionals who share the same passion for safety, accountability, and meaningful change — that’s what keeps you grounded and committed to the work.”
What are the RDVU’s biggest challenges?
Both Jon and Sue identified significant barriers within the criminal justice system as one of their greatest challenges. “Many communities have a dedicated domestic violence Crown, but we don’t have that here,” Jon explained. “We work with multiple Crown Counsel across two courthouses, and while many are fantastic partners, a dedicated Crown for domestic violence would make a huge difference.”
Sue echoed this frustration, pointing to the lengthy and inconsistent legal process and the lack of understanding about survivors’ realities.
Jon added, “In some cases, a survivor may need to testify against the same offender multiple times in a month — all while facing victim-blaming and scrutiny. For someone already coping with trauma, mental health issues, or poverty, that’s an impossible system to navigate.”
What success stories stand out?
Despite these challenges, the team focuses on empowering survivors to define success on their own terms “We help women find victories outside the courtroom,” Sue said. “It’s not always about a legal win — it’s about feeling heard, supported, and safe.”
Jon concluded, “Even if a court outcome isn’t ideal, maintaining separation, stability, and safety for 18 months or two years — that can be a success story.”
Have you seen change or improvement over time?
Sue reflected on notable progress in awareness and response:
“Ten years ago, we weren’t even talking about strangulation. The fact that we’re openly discussing it now is a major improvement. Unfortunately, the numbers are staggering — more women are reporting strangulation, but we’re also creating safer spaces for disclosure and accountability. That’s a significant change for survivors’ safety and long-term recovery.”
What are your hopes for the future?
Building on the success of their model, the RDVU hopes to see similar collaborative domestic violence units established throughout British Columbia and across Canada — units that take a holistic approach to safety, accountability, and prevention for women, children, and families. “We know that in some regions, there’s just one officer trying to manage everything related to high-risk domestic violence,” explained Sergeant Jon Cawsey. “That’s not sustainable, and it’s not fair to survivors or to the people doing the work. It takes a coordinated team — police, victim services, social workers, probation officers, and community partners — all working together to make real, lasting change.”
Recently, the RDVU collaborated with the RCMP in Nova Scotia to help establish a similar unit modelled on their integrated approach. “They’re adopting our framework,” said Sergeant Cawsey. “It’ll start small, but with the right partnerships and continued investment, it will grow — just like we did. The more we can replicate this collaborative model across jurisdictions, the more we can build a consistent, province- and nation-wide network focused on the safety and wellbeing of women, families, and communities.”
