FRANCAIS

November 04, 2003

Family Services and Housing Minister Drew Caldwell today announced a public awareness campaign to support the prevention of domestic violence and help Manitobans affected by family violence to rebuild their lives.

Diane McGifford, minister responsible for the status of women, launched Domestic Violence Prevention Month, which runs through Dec. 5, on behalf of Caldwell at the official opening of the new site of the Winnipeg Children’s Access Agency. The organization helps people affected by family violence and provides a safe, neutral site to support parent and child visits for families dealing with domestic violence.

"I am especially pleased with the accomplishments of our important community partners, such as the Winnipeg Children’s Access Agency, who are providing such key services for families," said McGifford. "At the same time though, we must raise awareness of the complex problem of domestic violence even higher."

Caldwell also announced details of this year’s new funding, $188,500 for 34 community-based agencies dealing with domestic violence, for operating support and to continue stabilization of staff salaries. This includes resource centres as part of a comprehensive range of services for families.

The province is also providing $15,000 to run a public awareness campaign in urban, rural and northern communities. The campaign, "Promises aren’t the only things that get broken," reinforces the important message that people can take steps to halt domestic violence in their communities. The effort includes transit shelter posters, brochures, lapel buttons and direct mail materials. Information will be sent to various groups including hospitals, RCMP units, medical services units, public libraries, women’s organizations and communities of faith.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION.

• Over the past four years, support to people in Manitoba affected by domestic violence has grown by almost $1.8 million or 22 per cent.
• This heightened commitment includes funding to agencies for operating costs and to continue the stabilization of staff salaries, as well as other major initiatives, including:
• expansion of the Winnipeg Children’s Access Agency and Brandon Access Exchange Service, providing safe, neutral sites for parents and children to visit for those families dealing with domestic violence;
• the opening of a new men’s resource centre in Winnipeg;
• funding for training of all shelter counselling staff in the province;
• the launch, by the YWCA of Brandon, of a program to provide counselling to couples in Brandon and surrounding regions; and
• funding to the Counselling Centre in Brandon to deliver services to men with abusive behaviours.
• In 2002, Ikwe-Widdjiitiwin Inc. (IKWE) was able to open a new Aboriginal women’s shelter for victims of family violence. This project in Winnipeg received $1.49 million from the Shelter Enhancement Program, cost-shared by the Government of Canada and the Province of Manitoba and $20,000 from Manitoba’s Neighbourhoods Alive! initiative.
• Also in 2002, through the provincial Family Violence Prevention Program, an additional $41,000 was provided to support a women’s resource centre in Brandon that assists women affected by family violence to rebuild their lives.

Throughout Manitoba, 34 agencies receive annual funding for community-based, domestic violence prevention services. These include: Resource Centres, Women’s Residential Second Stage Housing, Women’s Shelters and other specialized programs, as part of a comprehensive range of services for families affected by domestic violence. Funding includes the following support: