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

ANTIGONISH, NS, Nov. 14, 2012 /CNW/ - The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for Central Nova, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, today announced funding to the Antigonish Women's Resource Centre and Sexual Assault Services Association 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 MacKay. "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.

"We are proud to supports projects like this, which will ensure the safety of women and girls in our university and college communities." said Minister Ambrose.  "By working together and empowering young people from our community, we will make it a safe place to live and learn."

The Antigonish Women's Resource Centre and Sexual Assault Services Association is receiving $198,328 in funding for a project targeting young women and men studying at St. Francis Xavier University - especially those living in residence and those in first year, the overwhelming majority of whom are women. The project will lay out strategies and action plans to address gaps, barriers and opportunities in services addressing gender-based violence, and ensuring victims get the help they need.

"The Antigonish Women's Resource Centre & Sexual Assault Services Association welcomes this chance to work with the St. Francis Xavier Students' Union, and other student and university staff groups, on this project," said Ms. Nancy Forestell, Co-Chair, Board of Directors, AWRC & SASA. "This project draws on our shared expertise in addressing gender-based violence on campus."

"This collaboration with the Antigonish Women's Resource Centre & Sexual Assault Services Association will be effective in reducing violence against women, and building student leadership and campus-community capacity, " said Ms. Marie Brunelle, Human Rights and Equity Advisor, St. Francis Xavier University. "This violence-prevention project will have a major impact on the campus, its students and on Antigonish."

"The Students' Union is excited about this project. We want to engage students and shed light on sexual assault and violence against women," said Ms. Rachel Mitchell, Vice-President Executive of St. FX Students' Union. "By partnering with the Antigonish Women's Resource Centre and St. Francis Xavier University, we will raise awareness, and provide a safer campus for all."

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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