Neighbours, Friends and Families in the News
Currently, Neighbours, Friends and Families is getting a great deal of
exposure across the province in the media. Check here for updates on where we have been seen / heard.
April 1st, 2010 - Ending Domestic Violence:Seminar
Majorie House and Kanawayhitowin collaborate
by Karina Hunter Click here for more information March 1st, 2010 - MacQuarrie revels in challenges - London Free Press March 1st, 2010 Click here for more information February 25th, 2010 - Violence prevention program celebrates workplaces - Western News February 25th, 2010 Click here for more information February 3rd, 2010 - WFRC holds anti-violence forum
New Hamburg
Independent
Page: 01
Section: News
Research shows that there are 15 warning signs and 23 risk factors that can help neighbours, friends and families to identify a victim of abuse and an abuser. Knowing these signs and what action to take can lead to intervention before it's too late.
The professionals recognize that neighbours, friends and families have a crucial role to play in preventing woman abuse and are promoting a province-wide campaign that provides the tools that community members need to help when they suspect or know a woman is being abused.
In an effort to increase community awareness and commitment, Wilmot Family Resource Centre, the Wilmot-Wellesley Family Violence Prevention Program and the Waterloo Region Domestic Assault Review Team (DART) have partnered to promote this initiative along with the Ontario government, the Ontario Women's Directorate and the Expert Panel on Neighbours, Friends and Families, through the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children.
All members of the community are invited to attend a Community Forum to launch the campaign. "A Caring Community: Responding to Family Violence," to be held Feb. 11 starting at 11:30 a. m. at the New Hamburg Community Centre. This event will help individuals identify the warning signs, know the risk factors, and learn what actions to take when they recognize abuse.
"Making abuse unacceptable helps deter men from being abusive. Knowing that support is available helps women feel more confident about reaching out," says Trisha Robinson, Executive Director of Wilmot Family Resource Centre. "Working together in our community to stand against family violence makes a significant difference."
To register, call 519-662- 2731 ext 201.
Funding for this event is provided by the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services via the Domestic Assault Review Team of Waterloo Region.
© 2010 Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing January 28th, 2010 - ARCC reveals new Neighbours, Friends and Families campaign The Kingston Whig-Standard
Page: 10
Section: News
Byline: CHRISTINE ENDICOTT, QMI AGENCY;
Dateline: BROCKVILLE
-If you suspect your neighbour is being abused by her husband, you need to help now -before it's too late.
That's a key message in the new Neighbours, Friends and Families campaign being launched through the Assault Response and Care Centre (ARCC) at Brockville General Hospital.
"We are trying to knock down the secrecy around domestic violence," ARCC coordinator Laurie Bourne-MacKeigan said in an interview.
"If he always puts her down, checks on her, talks for her, acts as if he owns her, then you know something's not quite right," she said.
The whole community needs to become involved to stop the violence, Bourne-MacKeigan said. For example, a hair stylist who notices bruises while washing a woman's hair can learn how to "bring it up gently," and a neighbour who hears violence can call police.
She noted that abuse is often emotional, which is sometimes more damaging than slaps and punches.
The new campaign, which has begun with the installation of a billboard near St. Lawrence Park and advertisements in newspapers, will grow to include more public outreach so people know how to step in and help.
Anyone who needs advice can call ARCC at 345-3881, Interval House at 342-8815 or 1-800-267-4409, or police, especially if there is immediate danger.
The awareness campaign, funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services, was launched following a coroner's report about deaths that could have been prevented, had someone stepped in.
ARCC has received $10,000 in provincial funding and is now in the process of hiring a part-time coordinator for the program.
Bourne-MacKeigan noted that usually, abused women and men do not seek out professionals when they need help; they provide hints to neighbours, friends and families.
"It's not just a family problem; it's a community problem, because we all deal with it," she said.
Domestic violence affects all of society. Several of the women Bourne-MacKeigan is counselling are educated professionals.
People are often confused why women stay in abusive relationships, she said. "Women stay for all kinds of reasons -financial, religious, isolation, lack of education."
In the rural areas of Leeds-Grenville, women are especially isolated and find it difficult to leave abusive marriages, she noted. "Some men move there to isolate their families."
"Typically it's been behind closed doors," Bourne-MacKeigan remarked. "We can't let this continue."
Some domestic violence victims end up being murdered. In Leeds-Grenville during the past four years, Robin Griecken, Brenda Demoor and Stefanie Stevenson were killed by partners or former partners, she pointed out.
"I would like to see no more murders in our community," Bourne-MacKeigan stressed. "In these cases, there are warning signs. We can't ignore the warning signs. We can't feel we are intrusive. To not become involved could mean death."
"A lot of people just don't know what to do," she noted. "If you hear yelling and screaming at your neighbours, would you get involved?
"We have to make people feel comfortable. They are not intruding on family business. They are intruding on violence."
Police are trained to deal with domestic violence and can help victims by linking them to other community resources.
ARCC is part of the local Victim Services Committee, which includes Brockville, Prescott and Gananoque police, OPP, the Victim Witness Assistance Program, Developmental Services of Leeds and Grenville, Leeds and Grenville Rehabilitation and Counselling Service, Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, Interval House, Family and Children's Services, Child and Youth Wellness Centre, Canadian Mental health Association of Leeds and Grenville, Tri-County Addiction Services, Girls Inc., the Catholic school board, United Counties Social Services and the health unit.
"We know we can't make change in silos," said Bourne-MacKeigan, emphasizing the community approach. "We used to believe whatever happens behind closed doors, happens behind closed doors. With public education, we hope to change that."
January 9th, 2010 - London Free Press
Nurse's killing in workplace spurs changes The woman on the other end of the phone line was upset and I knew it wasn't going to be an easy conversation. She had read the rather grisly account of Lori Dupont's death in that morning's newspaper and, as its editor, I took my share of calls from readers about stories they didn't like.
Dupont, 37, was the nurse from Amherstburg, who died on the morning of Nov. 12, 2005, inside Hotel-Dieu Grace hospital in Windsor. Her killer was anesthesiologist Marc Daniel, 50, a physician with whom Dupont had, that spring, ended a tumultuous two-year relationship. She died of blood loss after he stabbed her in the chest multiple times with a military-style dagger in the hospital's recovery room before injecting himself with a lethal dose of an anesthetic. He died three days later in a London hospital.
I braced for what I expected would be a scolding from the female caller about the gory detail in that Monday morning's story. But her complaint took me off guard.
"I'm a nurse. I worked with Lori Dupont. And your newspaper didn't do nearly enough to tell her story and honour her memory," the woman said.
In the months that followed, much more became known about Dupont and Daniel. They'd briefly shared a home. Daniel had previously been disciplined by the hospital for harassment. He had been diagnosed with a mental illness. He had once before made a suicide attempt, from which, ironically, Dupont saved him. And as Daniel's conduct escalated, hospital officials were confused and indecisive about how to deal with him.
The events at Hotel-Dieu Grace on that fateful day have sent out ripples that are still moving outward. The hospital conducted a series of internal investigations. More importantly, however, an 11-week coroner's inquest was held during the fall of 2007 into the murder and the complex set of circumstances that coalesced around the deaths. In addition, Bill 168, amending provincial health and safety legislation by requiring policies and procedures to deal with workplace violence and harassment, was passed at Queen's Park last month. It is set to become law by this summer.
The jury in the Dupont inquest produced 25 recommendations, most of them detailed and multilayered, directed to the Ontario legislature, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the Ontario Hospital Association, Hotel-Dieu Grace, the Ontario Medical Association and more than a half-dozen other governing bodies and government agencies.
Two of the recommendations were that Peter Jaffe, educator and academic director of the Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children at the University of Western Ontario, conduct a review of Hotel-Dieu Grace's workplace violence prevention program and train its physicians on workplace violence prevention.
In the months immediately after the deaths, "it was hard for them to keep seeing themselves in the headlines," Jaffe said this week about the Windsor hospital's doctors and nurses. "They went from some staff being in denial and being defensive to being more open."
But the single greatest lesson from the Dupont case, Jaffe said, was the extent to which "domestic violence can affect someone in the workplace" -- that domestic violence and workplace violence aren't separate and discrete problems. One can easily spill over into the other.
Barb MacQuarrie, one of Jaffe's colleagues and community director at the centre, said it was their early work on the Neighbours, Friends and Families workplace-violence prevention program that attracted the attention of the inquest's jury and led to the recommendation for training at Hotel-Dieu Grace. That program is currently on track to reach more than 10,000 Ontario public servants across 21 government ministries by the end of this calendar year. As the name suggests, it emphasizes the roles neighbours, friends, families and co-workers can play in violence prevention.
At the Windsor hospital, which on Christmas Eve settled a lawsuit with the Dupont family, there is a tree in the memorial garden dedicated to the former nurse. As well, there exists a scholarship program in Dupont's name for nurses who wish to pursue additional education.
December 5th, 2009 -
Crime prevention agency must survive to continue good work
The Ottawa Citizen Re: Committee looks to cut crime prevention group, Dec. 2.
Crime Prevention Ottawa is potentially going to be eliminated in 2010 to keep our taxes under four per cent.
This decision is shockingly short-sighted on the part of the City of Ottawa. We must spend money in prevention of crime; if we do not spend money on that we most certainly will be spending it on policing and corrections. By then, it is too late.
We have more statistics to show our city is unsafe, not to mention the impact of crimes on victims and our over-taxed law enforcement.
The cost of corrections far exceeds that of prevention, so our taxes will remain low only for a small amount of time. I obviously do not think it is possible to put a price on the violation one feels as a victim of crime.
I run the Neighbours, Friends and Families Campaign out of the Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre. My campaign prevents violence against women by providing public education to those women at risk of being abused, and those who know women who may be living in fear. This campaign is working to eliminate violence against women in our city and it is possible to do because of the support we receive from Crime Prevention Ottawa.
There are other women and violence programs in our city as well that depend on funding from this organization. To eliminate it would be a direct assault on the safety of women in our community.
There are numerous other community services and events that are made possible because of the financial support that Crime Prevention Ottawa provides.
There is strong evidence to show that the work it has done in Vanier has made that neighbourhood notorious for criminal activity much safer. The youth gang initiative has been unlike any other prevention campaign for youth gang membership. Again, there is both qualitative and quantitative evidence to show that these initiatives are working.
We cannot ask the police in our city to prevent crime, process crime, and punish crime; it is too much to ask from any one agency. Crime Prevention Ottawa is vitally important to our city and to eliminate it would forever impact the safety of our communities.
Bailey Reid, Ottawa
Program co-ordinator, Neighbours, Friends and Families Campaign
September 14th, 2009 - London Free Press FAMILY VIOLENCE
By CHIP MARTIN
Training on how to detect family violence is coming to the Ontario workplace.
A $622,000 grant to a London centre, spread over two years, is intended to detect signs of domestic abuse and provide help for victims who are employees.
The grant from the Ontario government to the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children in London will provide access to information as well as information on how to respond to signs of abuse for both employers and employees. It will devise a workplace training program intended to detect and deal with abuse.
The move comes as the Occupational Health and Safety Act is amended to require employers to take action to protect their staff.
"If the right people knew the right response we know we could have averted tragedy," Deb Matthews, minister of women's issues said yesterday, referring to the stabbing death of Lori Dupont by her doctor-boyfriend at a Windsor hospital three years ago.
"This investment will make a profound difference," said the North-London-Centre MPP.
The money will help the four-year-old Neighbours, Friends and Families program extend into the workplace. That awareness campaign is in 170 communities across Ontario.
The London centre will provide materials to employees and employers across the province.
Barb MacQuarrie, community director for the centre, said it's important workers and employers see the signs of domestic trouble and find a caring response to avert outbreaks. Violence on the homefront affects worker productivity, she noted.
MacQuarrie said persuading victims of abuse to open up can take some work, so one group targeted for information is hairstylists, because "women talk to their hairstylists," she said.
She said while some victims of violence are men, the evidence is it is a small number.
Peter Jaffe, academic director for the centre, said statistics show overwhelmingly women are the victims. In domestic homicides, for instance, 94% of the time men are the perpetrators. And 80% to 90% of spouses living in fear of their partner are women.
Jaffe said it's hard to reach men who are isolated and depressed and who need help.
"How do you get men to ask for help?" he asked, conceding barbers might have a role to play.
MacQuarrie said she expects the amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act will be enacted late this year.
August 9th, 2009 - UWO Media Conference Workplaces get new tools to identify abuse Click here for more information May 26th, 2009 - Domestic violence Your recent article highlighting the increase in domestic violence cases in Niagara (May 15 edition of The Tribune)should be of concern to us all.
Woman abuse is a serious social problem in our community that everyone can play a role in preventing. It is for this reason that the Coalition to End Violence Against Women is supporting Neighbours Friends and Families (NFF) a provincial campaign to raise awareness of the signs of woman abuse.
Brochures and wallet cards are being distributed as part of the campaign and local volunteers are available to provide information sessions to community groups and organizations in Niagara.
In addition, we are also supporting Stop Family Violence -- It's Everybody's Business, a made-in-Niagara education prevention plan to address the issue of family violence in the workplace.
It is evident from your article that these two violence prevention initiatives are needed more than ever. Please let your readers know that if they want further information to visit the CEVAW website at www.cevaw.com.
Additionally, readers can access the Neighbours, Friends and Families website at neighboursfriendsandfamilies.caand the Stop Family Violence, It's Everybody's Business website at www.itseverybodysbusiness.ca.
Ruthann Brown
Chair, Coalition to End Violence Against Women Welland Tribune (ON)
Page: A7
Section: Editorial/Opinion
Column: Letters to the Editor May 5th, 2009 - The Toronto Star Survivors shed light on domestic violence; Show opening this week focuses on South Asian community's struggle with stigma and fear Click here for more information March 3rd, 2009 - Times Journal - St. Thomas, ON A strong world needs strong women Click here for more information February 10th, 2009 - Cobourg Daily Star Click here for more information February 5th, 2009 - Bancroft Times Click here for more information January 5th, 2009 - City Woman Magazine We've all been taught to mind our own...
Read more here December 21st, 2008 - Ottawa Citizen Click here for more information December 17th, 2008 - Sault Ste. Marie This Week Click here for more information December 8th, 2008 - Windsor Star Abuse Survivor Helps Others... Click here for more information November 26th, 2008 - South Asian Voice Article Click here for more information November 13th, 2008 - Waterloo Region Record Click here for more information November 10th, 2008 - Huron County Newspaper Article Click here for more information November 8th, 2008 - Guelph Mercury Article Click here for more information November 8th, 2008 - Guelph Mercury Article Click here for more information November 7th, 2008 - Wellington Advertiser Article Click here for more information November 6th, 2008 - Hamilton Spectator Article Click here for more information November 5th, 2008 - Article in Sentinel Review Click here for more information October 22nd, 2008 - Listowel Banner Article Click here for more information October 1st, 2008 - Windsor Star Article Click here for more information August 15th, 2008 - University of Western Ontario News Domestic violence support agencies given financial boost Click here for more information April 7th, 2008 - Bayshore Broadcasting Click here for more information April 3rd, 2008 - Campaign launched in Caledon Click here for more information April 2nd, 2008 - The Age Dispatch - Strathroy Click here for more information April 2nd, 2008 - canoe.ca Click here for more information March 15th, 2008 - Ottawa Sun Click here for more information March 1st, 2008 - Ottawa Police Service Recommendation Click here for more information February 18th, 2008 - Chatham Daily News Click here for more information January 21st, 2008 - North Bay Nugget Click here for more information January 20th, 2008 - Chatham Daily News Article Click here for more information January 17th, 2008 - Orangeville Citizen Click here for more information January 16th, 2008 - Baytoday.ca Click here for more information December 7th, 2007 - Sootoday.com Click here for more information November 26th, 2007 - Kitchener Record Click here for more information November 21st, 2007 - Sault Star Click here for more information November 17th, 2007 - Radio Coverage of Campaign launch Click here for more information August 7th, 2007 - Baytoday.ca Click here for more information August 7th, 2007 - North Bay Nugget Click here for more information July 13th, 2007 - Goderich Signal Star Click here for more information July 1st, 2007 - My Kawartha Click here for more information May 4th, 2007 - Stoney Creek News Click here for more information March 24th, 2007 - Hamilton Spectator Click here for more information March 15th, 2007 - Neighbours, Friends and Families highlighted on CHML Radio in Hamilton Excerpt of Radio highlight Click here for more information December 16th, 2006 - The ACTivist magazine Click here for more information December 6th, 2006 - City TV News Click here for more information December 6th, 2006 - City TV News Click here for more information December 6th, 2006 - City TV News at 6 Click here for more information December 5th, 2006 - Western News Click here for more information December 4th, 2006 - Globe and Mail Click here for more information
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