Mom awarded; has fought for limits to unsupervised access after son killed by violent father (Brantford, Ontario, Canada)

Julie Craven may not be well known outside of Canadian circles, but her bravery and hard work should be honored worldwide.

Back in 2006, her 8-year-old son was murdered by his father during unsupervised visitation. The brave little boy had been trying to defend Daddy's new girlfriend and the girlfriend's little girl from Dad's attack during one of these visitations. So Daddy got annoyed and stabbed the child to death. The father was later shot and killed by police.

This was NOT a case where Dad's violent behavior came "out of the blue" (though violence very seldom comes "out of the blue"); Dad had been convicted of violent crimes before. But it made no difference to the courts.

Now the mother is trying to provide for better child protection and provide limits to unsupervised child access. She just recently set up a legal advocacy program in connection with a local DV women's shelter as well.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2536665

Grieving mother honoured by award
VICTIM SERVICES
Posted By RICHARD BEALES
Posted 3 hours ago

One of the city's leading advocates in the fight against domestic violence will be honoured with a provincial award Wednesday.

Julie Craven will receive the Attorney General's Victim Services Award of Distinction in recognition of her work, which led to the creation of Kevin and Jared's Law requiring a coroner's inquest whenever a child is killed in Ontario by the criminal act of a parent.

The Jared in that law's name was Craven's eight-year-old son Jared Osidacz, who died at the hands of his own father in 2006 while trying to protect the man's girlfriend and the girlfriend's daughter. The father, Andrew Osidacz, had been allowed unsupervised visits with his son, even though he had been convicted of violent crimes. He was shot and killed by police, but not before he stabbed Jared to death.

"I'm honoured to receive the award," Craven said Thursday. "I wish that it would be under different circumstances, that my son would have survived and that he'd be here today."

Craven's grief still is strong today, but it was her outrage at her son's fate that led her to spearhead a petition for better child protection and limits to unsupervised access.
"We got 33,000 (signatures) in Brantford in just 10 days," said Craven's father, John, who will be joining her at the ceremony. "By the time it got to Queen's Park we had 66,000 ... ."

Craven has kept up the pressure on governments and organizations to ensure no other child has to suffer as hers did. One of the latest developments to come from her efforts is the creation of Jared's Place, a legal advocacy program operated out of Interval House and the Women's Centre of Hamilton.

Jared's Place, which opens on May 6, will provide women not only with immediate shelter for themselves in domestic abuse cases, but access to advice and resources to continue the often prolonged legal battles that follow.

"A lot of the programs today, they say, 'Make the call, make the call.' You leave (the abuser), but what happens then? If you leave and no programs are there, what happens then?"

Jared's Place is designed to help with that problem. It offers help with applying for legal aid, choosing a lawyer, techniques for self-representation, information about your legal rights and more.

"They aren't lawyers, but they are there to advocate for you, show you how to fill out forms... and help you navigate through that crazy (legal) maze," Craven said. "It's something I wish Brantford had."

Craven spoke highly of Interval House's executive director, Clare Freeman. And Freeman returned the compliment.

"I'm very happy for Julie," she said. "I've been working a lot with Julie; I was with her every day during the inquest."

Last year, Craven was forced to relive the horrific chain of events that led to her son's death, as witness after witness testified in a Hamilton courtroom.

"It was horrible going through that again," John Craven said.

He and Freeman have been among Julie Craven's greatest supporters as she has struggled to get through the still difficult times.

"I was with Julie when she lost her son," Freeman said, "and (I saw) the courage it took her to press the government for changes.

"She's an advocate, a voice that has to be heard out there."