The Canadian Centre for Intimate Partner Violence Brain Injury is the Canadian hub supporting recognition, understanding, and response to intimate partner violence-caused brain injury. 

  • Approximately 44% of Canadian women will experience some form of intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime.1

  • The World Health Organization reports that 1 in 3 women worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner. 

  • While IPV can, and does, happen to people across the gender spectrum, IPV-BI happens more often to women. 

  • Most physical intimate partner violence includes trauma to the head, face, and/or neck, all of which can cause an injury to the brain.

Who is this site for?

The Canadian Centre for IPV-BI is for anyone interested in learning more about the connection between intimate partner violence and brain injury, what causes IPV-BI, how to recognize it in yourself and others, and what you can do to respond in a safe and supportive way. We offer education, training, and resources to support what we call frontline workers (individuals working in the healthcare, gender-based violence, and law enforcement sectors) as well as researchers, policymakers, and survivors and their supporters.

Front Line Workers

Not sure how to navigate the complex world of IPV-BI?

You are not alone. Survivors of IPV-BI are an underrecognized and underserved population. If you’re a service provider who provides medical and other supportive care and need IPV-BI education and training programs, research, and standardized resources, you’re in the right place.

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Researchers & Educators

The Canadian Centre for IPV-BI unites researchers and educators to generate evidence on IPV-related brain injuries, drive policy and practice change, and collaborate across disciplines. Share your expertise and collaborate on new ventures through our Knowledge Implementation and Translation (KIT) Network, join interdisciplinary discussions with an international group of researchers and service providers, or participate in our  IPV-BI Research Lab with students and trainees from around the world.

Survivors & Supporters

Does it feel impossible to navigate the limited and uncoordinated services that exist to support you?

Developed in partnership with lived experience experts, The Canadian Centre for IPV-BI has gathered survivor stories, education, resources and tools in one place to help you manage your care journey towards a better outcome. 

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What we're up to

  • Saskatoon

    Helping the Helpers: Recognizing and Responding to IPV-BI

    In partnernship with Canadian Royal Purple, Dr. Halina (Lin) Haag and Sandi Lougheed will bring together professionals supporting survivors from a variety of sectors for connection and collaborative learning.

  • Windsor, Ontario

    BIAWE Annual Conference: IPV, BI & Mental Health in Women and Children

    Brain Injury Association of Windsor Essex has selected IPV-BI as the topic of their Annual Conference held for an audience of healthcare providers, educators, and law profession members.

  • St. John’s, Newfoundland

    3rd Annual Canadian Forensic Nurses Symposium

    Dr. Paul Van Donkelaar and Karen Mason will present a session on IPV-BI.