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

WATERLOO, ON, Nov. 14, 2012 /CNW/ - On behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, Peter Braid, Member of Parliament for Kitchener—Waterloo, today announced funding to the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region 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 MP Peter Braid. "By working together, and empowering young people, this project will improve the safety and security of women in our campus community."

The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region is receiving $191,030 in funding to bring together faculty, staff and students at the University of Waterloo and Sir Wilfrid Laurier University, and community members in Kitchener and Waterloo to develop ways to address violence against women on campuses.

"We know the risk of sexual assault is four times higher for women aged 16-24 than for any other population group," said Ms. Sara Casselman, Public Relations and Operations Manager, Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region. "We are grateful for this opportunity to work in partnership with our universities to address gendered violence on our campuses."

"By identifying gaps on our campus, creating a strategy to address them and implementing educational initiatives to better understand them, we are creating a culture that supports both the success and the safety of our students" said Mr. Adam Lawrence, Acting Dean of Students, Member, Campus/Community Coalition for the Prevention of Gendered Violence, Wilfrid Laurier University.

"Sustaining a culture of safety and equity is vital for the success of university campuses, including here at the University of Waterloo," said Diana Parry, Associate Professor in Applied Health Sciences and Chair of the Faculty's Association Status of Women and Equity Committee. "Working with our partners, this grant will enable us to build even further on our comprehensive program of student safety and violence-prevention activities."

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.

Status of Women Canada

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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
Public Affairs
Status of Women Canada
613 995-7839

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