Premier announces new money for violence prevention

Premier Brian Tobin announced today the provincial government will spend $2.25 million over the next year five years on a new violence prevention initiative. The premier made the announcement at a news conference chaired by Julie Bettney, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.

"Violence is a serious concern for all of us," the premier said. "This government is determined to continue to work in partnership with community groups to find solutions to the problem of violence against those most vulnerable in our society -- women, children, the elderly, and other vulnerable adults."

The premier announced that $250,000 will be spent during the 2000-2001 fiscal year, $500,000 will be spent on the initiative in the 2001-2002 fiscal year, and the remaining funds will be phased in over the following three years.

The funding represents government�s commitment to continue the valuable work begun under the five year Provincial Strategy Against Violence the premier said. The strategy ends March 31, 2000. The latest violence prevention initiative will begin next month and build on the work of the strategy.

Minister Bettney, who also heads up the province�s Strategic Social Plan, said "The social and economic costs of violence are significant. We will only be able to achieve our full potential as people when we can live free of violence. Our vision is a safer, more caring society for all."

The new initiative is based on consultations with community groups and government departments and agencies. The funds will provide resources to coordinate violence prevention activities within government and in the regions through regional coordinating committees set up under the Provincial Strategy Against Violence.

Over the past five years the Provincial Strategy Against Violence has focused its efforts on reducing violence through such activities as improving direct services to victims, public education, and changes to government policies and legislation. Under the latest initiative the goal of activities will remain the same. The regional coordinating committees will determine the priorities for their areas.

"One of the things we have learned as a result of the strategy," the premier said, "is that there is a need for this government to continue to provide leadership in coordinating efforts to address violence in this province. This latest violence prevention initiative will do that."

Minister Bettney said one of the strengths of the initiative is that it recognizes the expertise that already exists in the regions in the area of violence prevention and it strengthens this capacity.

"The strategy has laid a solid foundation over the past five years and it is vital that this work be continued and built upon," said Minister Bettney. "I am pleased that government�s anti-violence work will continue to involve a partnership with community-based agencies who have experience in this area."

Funding for the regions will be phased in over two years. This year the central, western and eastern Avalon regions will receive the majority of funding for coordination of violence prevention services in those areas. Minister Bettney said coordination within the Labrador region represents special challenges due to its geography and this will be taken into account in allocating the funds. The northern, eastern and Labrador regions will be phased into full funding next year.

The Women�s Policy Office will continue to coordinate the violence prevention initiative.

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2000 03 13 1:20 p.m.

BACKGROUND
VIOLENCE PREVENTION INITIATIVE

• Government will provide $2.25 million over the next five years for a new violence prevention initiative as part of its ongoing commitment to addressing the problem of violence. The premier announced that $250,000 will be spent during the 2000-2001 fiscal year, $500,000 will be spent on the initiative in the 2001-2002 fiscal year, and the remaining funds will be phased in over the following three years.

• This violence prevention initiative has grown out of the Provincial Strategy Against Violence.

• Government announced the Provincial Strategy Against Violence (the strategy) in 1995. Its focus is on finding solutions to the problem of violence against women, children, the elderly and other vulnerable adults. It officially ends on March 31, 2000.

• The strategy is an interdepartmental initiative - coordinated by the Women�s Policy Office - involving the Departments of Justice, Education, Human Resources and Employment, and Health and Community Services, working in conjunction with nongovernmental organizations. These parties will continue to be involved in the new violence prevention initiative.

• The two major goals of the strategy are to prevent violence and to improve the delivery of services to victims of violence.

• The strategy has undertaken a range of activities aimed at reducing violence including improving direct services to victims; educational campaigns for the general public and the schools; producing publications; and legislative and policy changes.

• A key objective of the strategy has been to build partnerships between the provincial government and community agencies working in the area of violence prevention.

• The strategy team has consulted within government and amongst community stakeholders involved in violence prevention work to determine how best to continue to find solutions to the problems of violence once the strategy concludes.

• The feedback from community stakeholders has been that anti-violence work must continue and needs to be coordinated within government with continued collaboration with community groups. The 2000-2001 budget allocations for violence prevention activities reflect these recommendations.

• Most of the money will be spent in the regions through regional coordinating committees set up under the strategy. This recognizes the expertise that already exists in the regions in the area of violence prevention and builds on this capacity.