Executive Council
Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
November 28, 2008

St. John�s Native Friendship Centre Gets Funding to Prevent Violence Against Women

A new project of the St. John�s Native Friendship Centre being funded through the Provincial Government�s Violence Prevention Initiative will assist incarcerated Aboriginal women who have been exposed to family violence, as well as any affected children.

�We know that many Aboriginal women who end up in the justice system have been abused or exposed to violence,� said the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women and Lead Minister of the Violence Prevention Initiative. �The Aboriginal Women Offender Violence Prevention Program will provide support directly to these women to assist them in recognizing violent and abusive situations and in making healthy future decisions.�

The $30,000 for this project is part of the Aboriginal Women�s Violence Prevention Grants Program, a component of the $9.2-million, six-year Violence Prevention Initiative. The Provincial Government is working in partnership with Aboriginal communities and organizations to prevent and, ultimately, end the cycle of abuse and violence against women and within families through a variety of programming under the Violence Prevention Initiative.

The goal of the Aboriginal Women�s Violence Prevention Grants Program is to create programs to achieve stability in the lives of Aboriginal women and children. This funding will enhance and promote community services and supports to assist in successful reintegration and healthy lifestyle choices, as well as provide individual assessments on which to base referrals to counsellors and other resources.

�The centre is attempting to create a culturally-sensitive and appropriate model for addressing family violence in the Aboriginal community,� said Minister Dunderdale. �They are doing this through a combination of traditional and holistic healing methods, including education surrounding violence and engaging women in cultural activities, such as healing circles, traditional story-telling, crafts, throat singing, dancing and drumming. We believe this approach can make a difference.�

�Only by working together to develop long and lasting solutions can we curb and extinguish violence,� said the Honourable Patty Pottle, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. �This government is taking a strong stance against violence. These grants are another positive means by which we are continually working in collaboration with Aboriginal groups and communities throughout the province.�

The Aboriginal Women�s Violence Prevention Grants Program addresses a priority action item determined at the first National Aboriginal Women�s Summit (NAWS) in Corner Brook in June 2007. During the summit, it was recognized that increased financial resources for family violence prevention initiatives and abuse prevention are necessary to improve the quality of life and well-being of Aboriginal women and families. This year, a total of $127,600 is being invested in seven projects across the province.

- 30 -

Media contact:

Erin Molloy
Communications Specialist
Women�s Policy Office
709-729-6225, 693-7938
erinmolloy@gov.nl.ca
 
John Tompkins
Director of Communications
Department of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
709-729-1674, 728-7762
jtompkins@gov.nl.ca
 

2008 11 28                         4:00 p.m.


SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement