Today the Minister’s Steering Committee on Violence Against Women and Girls released a progress report on its work over the last year. The report highlights the collective effort to prevent and address violence against women and girls while identifying next steps for positive action. The Steering Committee is co-chaired by the Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety, and Linda Ross, President of the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women. The steering committee has met five times since forming in April. Through these meetings the committee has identified a number of priority issues including, but not limited to examining:

• the application of Emergency Protection Orders (EPOs);
• alternative means to encourage higher rates of reporting sexual and intimate partner violence, such as third party or anonymous reporting; and
• enhanced mechanisms to monitor and deter perpetrators of intimate partner violence.

In October 2017, Minister Parsons announced the creation of the Minister’s Committee on Violence Against Women and Girls as an initiative to help make Newfoundland and Labrador a safer place. The committee’s inaugural meeting which was held on December 8, 2017, brought together community groups, representatives from Indigenous governments and organizations, those with lived experience and government members. The meeting was an opportunity to share information, exchange ideas, and develop action plans to end gender-based violence in Newfoundland and Labrador. A steering committee was then established from a sub-group of participants to ensure efficiencies and help guide the work of the whole committee. The progress report can be found on the committee’s website www.justice.gov.nl.ca/just/vawg. People can also use the website to share their ideas on how to address violence against women and girls in Newfoundland and Labrador. Quotes “I am pleased with the progress made in the first year, but there’s still a lot of work to do. I am looking forward to our next meeting to continue the important conversation and developing concrete actions to support survivors. I feel quite confident that we have the right people engaged to enact real change and this group is doing great work to address violence against women and girls.” Honourable Andrew Parsons Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General “We are committed to work to eliminating violence of all kinds. Significant progress has been made by the Steering Committee on Violence Against Women and Girls as well as the Violence Prevention Initiative. Working collaboratively and effectively is the best means of ensuring women and girls feel safe in their communities, at work, at school and at play.” Honourable Siobhan Coady Minister Responsible for the Status of Women “This update highlights some of the many initiatives in progress that are the result of multiple stakeholders coming together, with a genuine commitment to collaborate and an openness to new and innovative ideas being brought to the table. Together with other great work being done across our province and everyone taking responsibility to do their part, we can make a difference.” Linda Ross President of the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women

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Learn More For information on the Justice Minister’s Committee on Violence Against Women and Girls visit www.justice.gov.nl.ca/just/vawg Progress Report: Minister’s Steering Committee on Violence Against Women and Girls Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL, @JPS_GovNL and @WPO_GovNL Media contacts Lesley Clarke Justice and Public Safety 709-729-6985, 699-2910 LesleyClarke@gov.nl.ca Nancy Hollett Women’s Policy Office 709-729-5777, 685-3372 NancyHollett@gov.nl.ca Linda Ross, President Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women 709-753-7270 info@pacsw.ca