MPP JOURNAL for the week of May 21, 2021

May is Sexual Assault Prevention Month in Ontario

Ontario communities have zero tolerance for violence against women. May is Sexual Assault Prevention Month in Ontario, and it provides an opportunity to raise public awareness and reinforce the message that sexual assault is a crime, and that violence against women in our communities will not be tolerated.

Sexual assault can occur anywhere-at home, at work, at school and on the street. Statistics Canada estimates that over half of Canadian women experience at least one incident of sexual or physical violence in their lifetimes.

The Ontario government is committed to ending assault against women in our communities. $140 million will be spent on programs and services designed to combat violence against women. These services will focus on safety, prevention and justice.

The needs of women who have been sexually assaulted will be addressed through the government's Violence Against Women Prevention Initiatives. The Ontario Women's Directorate coordinates approximately 40 programs for women who have been abused or assaulted.

Sexual Assault Centres, which offer crisis counseling to women who are victims of sexual assault, as well as Sexual Assault Treatment Centres, which deal with 24-hour medical care, will benefit from the funding.

The Ministry of Education will also help support Sexual Assault Prevention Month, by providing professional training for teachers and school staff to help prevent violence against women, including violence in dating relationships. Also, a prevention and intervention program will help teachers identify when children may be at risk of neglect and physical harm, including sexual assault.

Police services and sexual assault agencies will receive and follow a protocol from the Ministry of the Solicitor General, outlining how a community can respond to survivors of sexual assault.

Anti-violence partnerships between the province and local communities are essential to the ending of violence against women. One partnership is with Canadians Against Violence Everywhere Advocating Its Termination (CAVEAT).

CAVEAT is producing a teacher's resource guide to accompany "A Love that Kills," a powerful National Film Board documentary on partner abuse amount young people.

In order to help women create their own economic opportunities and increase their safety, the government offers the Investing in Women's Futures program. This program offers grants to community-based, non-profit agencies to help women move to safety and achieve economic success.

The Ontario Women's Directorate is providing $1.2 million in funding to 48 community groups across the province that are assisting women to move from crisis to safety and economic self-sufficiency.

The Family Transition Place, located in Orangeville, offers a safe haven for abused and assaulted women and their children. They are a non-profit organization that works towards ending violence against women.

Their mission is to promote equality, safety and mutual respect in our community, by providing safe shelter, support and counselling for abused women and their children, and by providing information and education towards the prevention of violence against women.

The Ministry of Community and Social Services recognizes the efforts of the Family Transition Place by providing ongoing support and funding.

Every woman has the right to live in safety. Together with our community partners, the Government will continue to work towards that goal.

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