Life on the Street Deadly for Women Says YWCA Canada's Rose Campaign

Historic Association calls for a National Housing Strategy for Women

OTTAWA, Nov. 25 /CNW/ - Citing violence as the leading cause of women's homelessness, YWCA Canada, the country's single largest provider of shelter services for women, launched its annual Rose Campaign to end violence against women and girls today, saying living on the street kills women and calling for a National Housing Strategy for women that brings an end to women's homelessness.

"For women, life on the street ranges from dangerous to deadly," says YWCA CEO Paulette Senior. "Every year in Canada, 100,000 abused women and children leave their homes for emergency women's shelters. Many young women and women with mental health and addictions issues never make it to shelter at all. They struggle on the streets of our cities, in poverty and vulnerable to sexual harassment, violence and murder. We throw them away to the likes of Robert Pickton."

"582 Aboriginal women are missing and murdered. This mortifying death toll belongs to all of us," says Senior. "This country has to declare women's homelessness unsafe and unacceptable. Governments must respond immediately with effective, coordinated programs. That includes a National Housing Strategy for women - now."

Women across political parties united to launch the annual Rose Campaign. Opposition parties support the call for a National Housing Strategy and have raised concerns that the Sisters in Spirit Project of the Native Women's Association of Canada has not been funded to continue their ground-breaking leadership on missing and murdered Aboriginal women.

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, YWCA Canada also launched Living Beyond Shelter - Videos for Change by violence survivors and advocates. "When I saw my sons picking up their father's attitude and behavior, I realized I had to leave. In the end I did for their sakes, but looking back I should have done it for myself, much earlier," says Chantale Lavoie, violence survivor and advocate whose message to mothers of sons is eloquently captured in the video "It Wasn't Me Who Destroyed the Family." The videos are viewable online and available on DVD through www.rosecampaign.ca.

About YWCA Canada:

YWCA Canada is the country's oldest and largest women's multi-service organization. With 33 Member Associations operating in more than 400 districts and communities across the country, our Turning Point Programs for Women™ - which address personal safety, economic security and well-being - reach out to 1 million women and girls in nine provinces and one territory. YWCA is the largest national provider of shelter to women, serving 25,000 women, children and teen girls including 6,000 fleeing domestic violence each year.  We are the largest provider of literacy, life skills, employment and counselling programs in the country, and the second largest provider of childcare services. YWCA Canada is a member association of the World YWCA which unites 25 million women and girls worldwide and spans 125 countries. For more information about YWCA Canada and our Member Associations, visit www.ywcacanada.ca.

For further information:

For further information on YWCA Canada, the Rose Campaign or to set up an interview with:

• Paulette Senior, CEO, YWCA Canada
• Tracy Gierman, Executive Director, Canadian Network of Women's Shelters and Transition Houses
• Chantale Lavoie, violence survivor and advocate, Life Beyond Shelter project 

Contact Laura Tilley, Communications & Marketing Manager at 416.962.8881 x 233