Apr
30
Local high school students shine in front of and behind the camera
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MEDIA RELEASE
April 29, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Local high school students shine in front of and behind the camera
KINGSTON-On May 7, Kingston area high school students will be showcasing and celebrating their cinematic success when the “Direct This!” video contest wraps with a special evening awards ceremony at Loyalist Collegiate and Vocational Institute.
Sponsored by the Kinston Frontenac Anti-Violence Coordinating Committee (KFACC), the “Direct This!” video contest began in early February at regional high schools. Grades nine through 12 students were invited to submit short videos depicting how healthy relationships factor into their lives.
“We wanted students to start thinking and talking to each other about healthy relationships, because learning to recognize and form them when you’re young prevents unhealthy behaviours from happening later on,” explains Lisa Fox, KFACC Chair. “And with today’s technology, video is one of the best ways to spark the conversation.”
The event will be MC’ed by KROCK hosts Sarah Crosbie and Darryl Kornicky. Contest finalists will be shown; first, second and third place prizes will be awarded for the winning entries; and special performances and presentations will take place throughout evening.
“Direct This!” is timely, as recently violence against women and related issues have been highly visible. April 27 saw the unveiling of the Kingston Police memorial to six local women murdered by their partners. And on May 7, prior to the “Direct This!” awards, KROCK is participating in the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s nationwide radio-thon for their Shelter from the Storm campaign.
“It’s crucial to talk about these things openly,” says Fox. “It’s how we start to find solutions. We’re encouraging youth to have these discussions now so that maybe they won’t need to later on.”
KFACC includes local agencies committed to raising awareness of issues relating to domestic and sexual violence; and to promoting a community-based approach to delivering services for victims of partner abuse and sexual violence, and their families. To learn more, please visit www.kfacc.org.
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For more information please contact:
FRANCIS WOOBY, Communications & Administrative Coordinator, KFACC
Tel. 613.329.3187, info@kfacc.org
Apr
27
The Kingston Council on Aging has applauded a provincial move last week to set up a 24-hour-a-day hotline for people to report elder abuse.
The council is a member of the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, which received a three-year, $415,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to help set up the hotline.
The hotline is free and confidential for seniors suffering abuse of any kind, including physical, financial, emotional and sexual abuse. The hotline will refer people to local resources.
The number to report local elder abuse is 613-542-1336. The new hotline number is 1-866-299-1011.
Apr
16
KFACC’s Letter to Minister Deb Matthews Regarding Ontario’s Sexual Violence Action Plan
Filed Under KFACC In The News, Press Room | Leave a Comment
March 26, 2009
The Honourable Deb Matthews
Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues
Ontario Women’s Directorate
777 Bay Street, 6th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2J4
RE: Ontario Sexual Violence Action Plan
Dear Minister Deb Matthews,
Recently, the Kingston Frontenac Anti-Violence Coordinating Committee (KFACC) has learned the Ontario Liberal Government has made a commitment to create a Sexual Violence Action Plan for the province. There are a number of critical issues we ask you to consider as this plan is developed.
KFACC consists of representatives from agencies providing services for victims of partner abuse and sexual violence, their families, and agencies that work with perpetrators. We include organizations working throughout the city of Kingston, Frontenac County, and in some parts of Lennox & Addington County.
Sectors represented on our committee include law enforcement and justice, shelter and housing, health, hospitals, mental health and counselling support. The different perspectives and expertise we each bring to KFACC enable us to develop a full understanding of the challenges, issues and priorities for our clients, our communities, and one another.
Our mandate is to contribute to the eradication of violence by promoting individual and community awareness of issues relating to domestic and sexual violence, and to support a coordinated community response to these issues.
KFACC is committed to integrating issues of sexual violence into our work in a more comprehensive way, and we understand the need to fully address the complexities and far reaching effects of Sexual Violence in our communities.
Please consider the following as you develop your Sexual Violence Action Plan:
- Take a “snapshot” of work being done currently through education, acute care, counselling, the justice system and advocacy. Assess the existing relationships between programs in the various communities by surveying the organizations and individuals providing this support. (e.g., The current French Language Services Assessment that is taking place in Kingston by the Ministry of the Attorney General.) What is happening out there in our communities right now?
- Better integrate the subject of sexual violence into workplace training. We recognize a disconnect between the education of employees around what they can do if they are victims of sexual violence, and what they can expect will happen when they report. Even what sexual violence is, is unclear. How are issues relating sexual violence integrated into Workplace Safety Programs?
- Design curriculum for all grades of school to create a Culture of Respect. (e.g., The “Boys to Men” campaign.)
- Create an affiliation with the Ministry of Colleges and Training and Ministry of Education Business School to fully integrate the issue of sexual violence into course credits in community college Police Foundations, Child and Youth Worker, Social Services Worker and related programs.
- Dispel myths about who can and cannot be sexually assaulted. (i.e., Women sexually assaulted by their partners in domestic/dating relationships or sex trade workers aren’t victims.)
- Establish standardized assessment in the healthcare system that asks “Have you ever experienced Sexual Violence?” specifically.
- Develop a provincial prevention campaign that is culturally competent.
- Provide education about sexual violence for especially vulnerable communities such as long-term care recipients, people with disAbilities, and refugee women.
- Empower local coordinating committees/service providers with financial resources and opportunities for active participation in the development, implementation and evaluation of the SVAP.
- Seek and integrate input from communities on the provincial outreach campaigns that may be created (e.g., Neighbours, Friends and Families, Internet exploitation prevention initiatives) and programs created in partnership with community organizations with experience in this field. As well, identify experts around the issues of Sexual Violence and use their expertise to inform programs and education initiatives.
- Specialize the justice system-similar to the Domestic Violence Court-with connections among Family, Domestic Sexual Violence and Criminal Court.
- Study the correlations between sentence lengths given for crimes of sexual violence and recidivism rates, and re-evaluate sentencing guidelines based on the results.
- Conduct an in-depth analysis of immigration laws and how they affect/protect those who have experienced sexual violence. (e.g., Victims of human trafficking.)
- Include collaboration with federal partners on components of the Sexual Violence Action Plan where overlap in services occurs.
- Commit to funding appropriate research partners to enable provincial bodies to facilitate research opportunities. These provincial bodies include the Ontario Network of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Centres, the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres, Ontario Interval and Transition Houses, DisAbilities Women Network, Ontario Network of Aboriginal Women.
- Create a cost analysis of sexual violence on the health, judicial, educational and income support systems.
- Engage men in the prevention of sexual violence and create much needed support for men who have experienced sexual violence.
As a diverse group of community organizations that deal primarily with issues of violence and provide support for those who have experienced violence in their lives, we feel a Sexual Violence Action Plan including the above will help our communities address sexual violence in a meaningful and lasting way.
We understand that many voices and experiences will need to be involved in creating a comprehensive plan encompassing all Ministries and communities involved in the issues of sexual violence; and we appreciate the opportunity to share our thoughts with you.
Sincerely,
Lisa Fox
Chair, KFACC
Apr
13
Improve monitoring of domestic violence offenders: jury (see map)
Filed Under Sexual and Domestic Violence in the news | Leave a Comment
Coroner’s inquest produces 35 recommendations
HAMILTON — A coroner’s jury is recommending better and ongoing monitoring of domestic violence offenders following an inquest into the deaths of an eight-year-old Brantford boy and his father.
The jury, which spent the better part of a month looking into the deaths, has come up with 35 recommendations to help prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
Apr
7
Help urged for dads in cases of domestic violence
Filed Under Sexual and Domestic Violence in the news | Leave a Comment
Posted By VINCENT BALL, EXPOSITOR STAFF
Society needs to do more to help men accused of domestic violence, a coroner’s inquest heard Wednesday.
“Right now, there is a gap in services,” Katreena Scott said. “We need to do a better job of supporting fathers.”
Many dads become isolated after being charged and that often leads to greater risk of women and children being hurt, she added.
An expert in domestic violence, Scott was testifying at an inquest into the deaths of eight-year-old Jared Osidacz and his father, Andrew. Jared was stabbed to death March 18, 2006, by his father at the Courtland Drive townhouse of Osidacz’s girlfriend, Paula Ferrell. Osidacz was shot and killed by police that same evening as he tried to kill Julie Craven, his former spouse, at her home on Cecil Avenue.
