Upcoming Event - Silent Witness Memorial

PRESS RELEASE

March 31, 2014

 

The Family Violence Consortium of Manitoba, in partnership with the Winnipeg Art Gallery presents the 8^th Annual Silent Witness Project Memorial.

                                                                                                                      

The Silent Witness initiative consists of a travelling exhibit of life-sized wooden silhouettes; each represents a Manitoban woman who has been murdered by her intimate partner. In each case, the woman’s partner has been convicted of the murder or both have died in a murder/suicide. Because these women no longer have a voice, the silhouettes are called the Silent Witnesses.

 

The Silent Witness Project:

 

•honors the memory of women in our community and reminds us of the devastating impact of domestic homicide and family violence

 

•takes action for positive change within our own homes, our communities, and throughout the Province towards ending violence against women

 

This powerful memorial is funded by the National Victims of Crime Awareness Week. Domestic violence is a major social concern in our society and the mission of the Silent Witness Project envelops ideas of remembrance, awareness, and action against this violence.

 

What:                         The Silent Witness Project Memorial

 

When:                         Wednesday, April 9^th, 2014 at 11:30 a.m.

 

Where:           The Winnipeg Art Gallery, 300 Memorial Blvd

 

Who:               Representatives of The City of Winnipeg and Winnipeg Police Services, community agencies, and other members of the community

                        Speakers include:

                                    The Honourable Andrew Swan – Minister of Justice and Attorney General

The Honourable Kerri Irvin-Ross – Minister of Family Services and Minister         responsible for Status of Women

                        Troy Westwood

                        Kevin Klein-Emcee

 

Further questions may be directed to:

 

Glenda Dean

Chair, Silent Witness Committee

Executive Director - Alpha House

204-982-2011

 

Men are begining to take responsibility for their violence

Open Letter of Invitation to the 2014 Gathering of Men Standing up against Violence towards Aboriginal Women and Children by ecnationtalk on January 17, This letter is a call to action and an open invitation for our brothers, uncles, fathers, grandfathers, and sons to come together and strengthen our campaign to end violence against women and children. On Thursday, February 13th, 2014 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal men will meet at the Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria to stand up for Aboriginal women and children and to speak out against all forms of violence towards them. You are invited to attend this gathering. As part of this day of action we are also inviting Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal men across the country to take part in a national One-Day Fast. The purpose of not eating food or drinking water for one day is to honor the women and children in our lives, to strengthen our resolve, and to connect with men across Canada in our commitment to end the violence towards women and children in our communities. We are inviting men across the country to commit to a one-day Fast and to indicate your participation and support by writing your name on the Moose Hide Campaign website at: www.moosehidecampaign.ca. Aboriginal women are three times more likely to experience domestic violence than non-Aboriginal women, and three times more likely than non-Aboriginal women to be killed by someone they know. Too many of our wives, daughters, sisters, aunties, mothers, grandmothers are not safe in their own home. Too many have been murdered or are missing. It is time for us to change this. This cycle of violence came from residential schools, racism against our Peoples, and colonization. It was never in our culture to do violence to the women and children in our families and communities, it was always our responsibility to protect them. Many efforts, projects, and strategies are now under-way throughout the country to change this reality, but we can and need to do more. Silence is not good enough, and simply being a non-abuser is not good enough. We must speak up and take action, and we need to support each other as Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal men. The Gathering of Men – Standing up against Violence towards Aboriginal Women and Children, will take place on Thursday, February 13th from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Hotel Grand Pacific. At 12:30 pm we will walk to the BC Legislature and hold a Press Conference to speak out publicly against violence towards Aboriginal women and children, and to commit ourselves to action. This invitation is being extended to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal males of all ages in BC First Nations communities, Aboriginal Friendship Centres, colleges and universities, Provincial and Federal government offices, RCMP and municipal police forces, and other Aboriginal organizations. We also extend a warm welcome to our non-Aboriginal brothers who want to stand with us and work together to achieve this vision. Women are also welcome to attend as witnesses. This is a healing journey that we will walk together. Please share this invitation and spread the word. For further information, please contact Paul Lacerte at 250-388-5522 or e-mail at: placerte@bcaafc.com Or Jeannette MacInnis at 250-388-5522 or e-mail at: jmacinnis@bcaafc.com

The Plight of Abused Women In Pakistan

Barbaric animals called men disfigure their women who may not want to put up with their abuse. The men - if I can't have you no other man will - and they throw acid of women. I think the government of Pakistan and other countries where this practice is happening they should institute a policy that men who disfigure women in this way their punishment will be acid thrown in their faces by the state. It is not fair that the men go on living with their good faces while they make monster women from normal beautiful women because they want to own and control women. What cowards these men are? I would not even call them men or human because there are standards to being human and this is not one of them. These men are worse than animals and should never be allowed back in society. WARNING: The picture in this article are disturbing and graphic. http://freethoughtblogs.com/taslima/2012/07/14/our-men-throw-acid-in-our-faces-destroy-our-lives-but-we-never-stop-loving-men/

Resources to help your neighbour or friend deal with

The Family Violence Consortium of Manitoba has launched a resource for people wanting to be of help to someone they know in an abusive relationship.  The brochure, “Neighbours, Families & Friends:  A Guide on Helping People in Abusive Relationships,” is attached to this message and is also available online at www.gov.mb.ca/fs/fvpp/pubs/NFF_brochure.pdf.  Copies of the brochure can be ordered by contacting The Laurel Centre by email at info@thelaurelcentre.com or by phone at 204-783-5460.

Responding to Violence Against Women in Diverse Cultures

 

According to global research by experts, reports by WHO, Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (UNCEDAW), Human Rights and UN Women, women from various cultures or nations today have experienced one from of violence or the other. These violence’s are embedded into the norms and values of culture and traditions. For Instance, In Sudan women are sentenced to stoning for adultery, In South Africa, women are forced to rape by the family if she opposes a marital choice for her, In Somalia, women face corporate punishment such as lashing or stoning if the conduct of her daily business is contradicts the ruling political or strategic objectives. In Ghana and in situations of marital conflict and divorce, women lose out on land she farmed with her husband during marriage. Juliana Nkrumah, the founder of African Women Australia, said domestic violence did not discriminate. "We should not excuse cultural practices that are damaging,'', ''but nor should we use culture as an excuse for damaging behavior.

Some of the violence traditions that women have to face are life-threatening. There are for example customs such sati, which forces many Hindu women to immolate themselves on top of the funeral pyres created for their deceased husbands (there’s no sati for males of course), or women in some African countries being subjected to violent exorcism rites or even being killed after being accused of witchcraft. Many of these culturally sanctioned crimes are financially motivated, eliminating the wife as the inheritress of her husband’s estate and having it being transferred instead to the couple’s sons or the father’s family. Different ways of abusing women’s Human Rights takes place in many African countries, including Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda, where women actually become part of their husband’s estate – supposedly in the widow’s interest to offer her security and protection. An act of humiliation itself, the inheritance of women also culturally approves acts of “widow cleansing”. Violence against Women in diverse culture may take many forms and has enormous social, economic costs, and undercuts the contribution of women to development, human rights, peace, and security. Violence against Women hampers the economic development and stability within the community in which they live. It also poses a serious threat to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

http://www.africanviews.org/component/content/article/1021-womens-education/49156-responding-to-violence-against-women-in-diverse-culture

 

 

Man killed and ate wife's flesh

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/man-accused-killing-wife-eating-flesh-acted-self-defense-article-1.1058091#commentpostform

Immigrants cloak family violence

Immigrant women are more likely to suffer physical and psychological abuse by their partners and are less likely to report it, a new study suggests.
The Canadian Council on Social Development released the report Monday, marking International Women's Day.
A recent immigrant to Canada left says she left her husband because he was violent. "Meena" (not her real name) came to Canada from India in 2002. She says her husband is looking for her and she doesn't want to be found.

http://www.fcpp.org/files/1/Culturally-Driven%20Violence%20Against%20Women.pdf


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2004/03/08/immigrant_violence040308.html

Young woman's life cut short by a bullet

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/dozens-of-police-investigate-killing-of-surrey-bc-model-actor-student-130818608.html
Could this be a jealous boyfriend who ended this girl's life? Was it random?  When women die like this it is usually not accidental. Family violence, boyfriend violence is still alive and well.
She was an outstanding student, a pillar in her community. She was a beautiful young lady in the prime of her life and this is not a result of any questionable lifestyle on her part."
Harkirat Batalia, Maple's father, said he believes the main suspect is an old schoolmate

Family Violence in Immigrant Communities A big problem - A young woman killed by her husband in Surrey BC

Discussion on family violence within an immigrant community may result in a human rights complaint against the reporter.
Ravinder Bhangu, 24 year old reporter at Sach Di Awaaz Newspaper was allegedly killed by her husband, Manmeet singh who was arrested on the spot. The couple were separated and Ravinder was scheduled to return to India.

In this article belong the male reporter asked a worker at a women's shelter if women had too much rights? When will men learn that women are not property and there are many fishes in the sea. If one don't suit you find another for crying out loud.

Women are not for sale, and they are their own person. Men who cannot understand that should have nothing to do with women. Simple as that. How dare a man to kill another person's child, a sister, an aunty. This must stop.

Radio host rejects Surrey Women's Centre criticism http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/cloverdalereporter/news/127959663.html?mobile=true