Women's Organizations Concerned About
Funding for the Violence Prevention Initiative

For Immediate Release

February 25, 2005

A number of organizations participating with government departments and Ministers in a stakeholder consultation on the Violence Prevention Initiative (VPI), scheduled for February 28^th,  are concerned that March 31^st ends this five-year initiative and no one has heard any news that a new long-term community/government anti-violence initiative is planned.

Tracy Duffy works at the Newfoundland and Labrador Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre and is a member of the St. John’s Regional Coordinating Coalition Against Violence. The Sexual Assault Centre receives $50,000.00 from the province. She met with Health Minister John Ottenheimer last week to talk about the work and resourcing needs of her Centre. “Yes we need more resources at our Sexual Assault Centre,” stated Ms. Duffy, “but we need to see long-term funding for violence prevention work to enable community groups and government departments to work collaboratively on ending violence.” 

Heather Davis is Coordinator of the Corner Brook Women’s Centre, a member organization of the Western Regional Coalition Against Violence. “This Women’s Centre was happy to see anti-violence work become situated within the broader community five years ago. Although the leadership and commitment to working on issues of violence is coming from women, we have worked hard to involve men, dozens of community organizations and government departments in our Regional Coalition. We do not want to go backward with the expectations that women’s equality organizations have to do anti-violence prevention and education in addition to the heavy workloads at our Women’s Centre.”

Joyce Hancock, President of the Provincial Advisory Council, has written to the Premier asking for a commitment to increased funding for the regional work of the six anti-violence coalitions. She also feels the need for government to strengthen the internal mechanism designed to place violence issues on the agenda of government departments like Health, Education, Justice, HRLE, Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs and the Rural Secretariat.

The VPI Consultation begins on Sunday evening and Cabinet Ministers will be participating in the Monday afternoon session.

For further information contact:

            Heather Davis, Corner Brook Women’s Centre - 639-8522/638-1585

            Tracy Duffy, NL Sexual Assault Crisis Centre - 747-7757 / 728-9418

            Joyce Hancock, Provincial Advisory Council - 753-6124 / 726-3574