The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women:

Annual Conference Sheds Light on Issues

The Violence Prevention Initiative’s Annual Stakeholders’ Conference was recently held in St. John’s and attracted more than 180 people from all parts of Newfoundland and Labrador.

This year’s focus was Sexual Orientation and Violence: Preventing Homophobia and Heterosexism.

Every day, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, or LGBT individuals, as we sometimes reference, are subjected to acts of violence in schools, workplaces and communities.

Many of the speakers at this year’s conference were able to bring the issues to light and promote an open discussion of the types and severity of violence LGBT individuals face, and how we can use the supports that are out there and enhance our practices to prevent violence against this population.

Violence is rooted in inequality. For too long society has perpetuated inequality against many people. It was said many times over the course of the conference - it is time we all recognize that a person’s sexuality is not a lifestyle; it is just a part of who they are. People are people, regardless of sexual orientation.

Celebrating the full diversity of our province, including differing sexual orientations, is the simplest way we can start to build equal ground for all residents of Newfoundland and Labrador. Continuing to educate everyone in our province, at every age, is our first step to preventing violence against all vulnerable populations, including LGBT individuals.

As the action plan, Taking Action Against Violence, states, the purpose of the Violence Prevention Initiative is to increase government and community capacity to achieve, in the long term, a reduction in violence against women, children, youth, Aboriginal women and children, older persons, persons with disabilities and others who are vulnerable to violence because of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or economic status.

Our government remains fully committed to working to prevent violence against all of these populations in pursuit of a province where all residents can live a life free from violence.

2011 03 28             2:10 p.m.