A University of Calgary researcher played a pivotal role in shaping Alberta's newly launched 10-year strategy to address gender-based violence.
Lana Wells, Brenda Strafford Chair in the Prevention of Domestic Violence and associate professor in the Faculty of Social Work, spoke at the May 13 launch event alongside Alberta's ministers for public safety, status of women, and children and family services.
Lana Wells, second from left, with strategy leaders and ministers Carol Moen, Searle Turton, Tanya Fir, Rachelle Venne, Mickey Amery, and Rick Wilson. Photo Credit: Government of Alberta
"Seeing all ministries come together and commit to prioritizing and resourcing this work is a critical step forward," says Wells. "Ending gender-based violence is not the responsibility of one sector. It's a whole of government issue that demands collective action and sustained support to empower communities to lead the change."
Signed by Premier Danielle Smith and 16 members of Alberta's cabinet, Building on our Strengths: Alberta's 10-year Strategy to End Gender-Based Violence, represents a distinctly cross-ministerial approach to addressing gender-based violence.
Government officials are calling it the most comprehensive gender-based violence strategy in Canada.
"This is a made-in-Alberta strategy that lays the groundwork for real, lasting change, addressing the root causes of gender-based violence and strengthening support for survivors," Minister Tanya Fir described at the launch event.
With five key pillars increasing awareness, early prevention, supporting Indigenous-led solutions, women's economic empowerment, and supporting survivors the new strategy emphasizes the importance of tackling the underlying drivers of violence.
From prevention research to policy action
The strategy's focus on root causes reflects a commitment to "primary prevention," an approach to stopping violence before it starts that Wells has been advocating for and researching for 15 years.
"This 10-year strategy is more than a policy document. It is a public declaration that Alberta is ready to build safer families, stronger communities, and a more just society," Wells emphasizes.
"What gives me the most hope is the clear commitment to primary prevention; tackling the root causes of violence before it can begin."
Wells leads Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence, a first-of-its-kind research hub in Canada focused on the primary prevention of gender-based violence. Since its inception in 2010 at UCalgary, Shift has been researching and addressing root causes to prevent violence from occurring.
In 2011, Wells and her research team were engaged by the Government of Alberta to apply leading prevention research and co-lead the redesign of its family violence framework, resulting in the 2013 release of Family Violence Hurts Everyone: A Framework to End Family Violence in Alberta.
Twelve years later, Wells continues to play an instrumental role in shaping the next iteration of Alberta's violence-prevention work.
Alberta's Primary Prevention Playbook
Referenced directly in the provincial strategy, Alberta's Primary Prevention Playbook is a resource developed by Wells and co-authors Anya Litviniuc, Lianne Lee, and Brian Hansen.
Created in collaboration with the Government of Alberta and 250+ gender-based violence agencies across the province, the playbook outlines practical priorities to reduce the risk of violence and strengthen protective factors for women, equity-deserving groups, and Indigenous Peoples.
A key focus of the playbook is working with men and boys to advance gender equality and prevent perpetration. According to Wells, this emphasis is mirrored in the Government of Alberta's new strategy.
"It's time to shift the burden of addressing violence away from survivors to focus on stopping male-perpetrated violence," Wells explains. "That means reaching men with the right support at the right time, and breaking down the stigma that stops them from seeking help."
The government strategy builds on this approach, highlighting that "while men are often the perpetrators of gender-based violence, they also hold the solution. Voluntary supports must be in place for men at risk of committing violence and perpetrators must be provided supports to ensure they don't reoffend."
This represents a major step toward putting Wells' recommendations into action at scale, and a change in focus for the Government of Alberta, from reactive interventions to proactive solutions.
The full provincial strategy to prevent gender-based violence and information about the launch event are available on the Government of Alberta website.
