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

CORNER BROOK, NL, 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 Peter Penashue, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, today announced funding to the Corner Brook Status of Women Council 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 Minister Penashue. "I am glad that this promising new project will improve the safety and security of women on campus in Newfoundland and Labrador."

The Corner Brook Status of Women Council (CBSWC) is receiving $140,000 in funding for a project targeting women attending Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Western Regional School of Nursing in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador. It will engage students, community partners and organizations in developing a needs assessment, and finding solutions to gender-based violence.

"We are excited to work on this project with our partners at the Western Regional School of Nursing and Grenfell Campus, Memorial University," said Ms. Paula Sheppard Thibeau, Executive Director, Corner Brook Status of Women Council. "Our project explores the issue of gender-based violence, and it will help us to address this issue on our campuses."

"Grenfell Campus works to provide a safe environment, free from violence and harassment," said Dr. Mary Bluechardt, Vice-President, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland. "Given that young women are the primary victims in sexual assault cases, it makes sense for us to participate in this project, to help make Grenfell Campus and environs safer places to be."

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.

---

Backgrounder 

---

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

Ce texte est également disponible en français.

For news releases and information on Status of Women Canada, go to www.women.gc.ca