Government of Canada Takes Action to End Violence against Women and Girls on University and College Campuses

SACKVILLE, NB, Nov. 14, 2012 /CNW/ - On behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, the Honourable Carolyn Stewart Olson, Senator for New Brunswick, today announced funding to Mount Allison Students' Union to engage young people in addressing violence against women on university and college campuses. Parliamentarians throughout Canada joined Minister Ambrose in announcing their projects locally.

"Our Government is taking action to address violence against women on university and college campuses across Canada." said Minister Ambrose. "We are pleased to support projects that will help make university and college communities safer for everyone."

The Government of Canada is providing 21 organizations with close to $4 million to carry out projects that tackle a wide range of issues related to violence against female students, such as sexual assault and harassment. Organizations will work with college and university campus communities to carry out their projects.

"Our government remains committed to ending violence against women and girls," said Senator Stewart Olson. "This promising new project will improve the safety and security of women in our campus community."

The Mount Allison Students' Union (MASU) is receiving $89,040 in funding to carry out a project, which targets women on the Mount Allison University campus in Sackville, New Brunswick - particularly students living in residence. The MASU will be using a proven safety audit developed by the Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children to inform their work.

"Thanks to Status of Women Canada support, the Mount Allison Students' Union will improve safety on campus, changing the culture of power-based violence and evaluating our practices," said Mr. Patrick D. P. Joyce, MASU President. "Our project will bring lasting results for women at Mount Allison."

"We believe our partnership with our Students' Union on this important project represents the best opportunity for the development of programming that is relevant, comprehensive and successful," said Mr. Ron Byrne, Vice-President, International and Student Affairs, Mount Allison University. "Together, we can create real awareness."

The Government of Canada is committed to supporting projects that yield concrete results for women and girls in Canada while strengthening families, communities and the country. Through Status of Women Canada, the government's support for community-based projects has nearly doubled since 2006-2007, from $10.8 million to close to $19 million, its highest level ever. Since 2007, more than $54 million in federal funding has been approved for projects that seek to address violence against women and girls.

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Backgrounder

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Organizations receiving funding under the call for proposals - Engaging Young People to Prevent Violence against Women on Post-Secondary Campuses:

Corner Brook Status of Women Council (CBSWC), Corner Brook, NL;
Mount Allison Students' Union, Sackville, NB;
Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre, Inc. (FSACC), Fredericton NB;
Collectivité ingénieuse de la Péninsule acadienne Inc., Paquetville, NB;
Antigonish Women's Resource Centre and Sexual Assault Services Association, Antigonish, NS;
Association chrétienne des jeunes femmes de Montréal (Y des femmes/YWCA Montréal), Montréal, QC;
La Pointe du jour CALACS Sept-Îles, Sept-Îles, QC;
Interim Place, Mississauga, ON;
Ottawa Coalition to End Violence against Women, Ottawa, ON;
Scarborough Women's Centre, Scarborough, ON;
Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area (SACHA), McMaster University, Hamilton, ON;
Urban Alliance on Race Relations, Toronto, ON;
Yellow Brick House, Richmond Hill, ON;
Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region, Kitchener, ON;
Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta, Edmonton, AB;
Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton, Edmonton, AB;
University of Alberta, Student's Union, Edmonton, AB;
YWCA Lethbridge and District, Lethbridge, AB;
Alberni Community and Women's Services Society, Port Alberni, BC;
MOSAIC (Multilingual Orientation Service Association for Immigrant Communities), Vancouver, BC;
Royal Roads University Student Association, Victoria, BC;

These organizations will work with college and/or university campuses in their communities.

 

SOURCE: Status of Women Canada

Amber Irwin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and
Minister for Status of Women
819 997-5421

Nanci-Jean Waugh
Director General, Communications and Strategic Planning
Status of Women Canada
613 995-7839

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