Public Health Agency of Canada
www.publichealth.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
A Focus on Youth and Violence |
|
This month’s theme is Youth and Violence. The National Clearinghouse on Family Violence E-bulletin is a quarterly newsletter for those interested in family violence prevention. It is produced by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) on behalf of the Family Violence Initiative (FVI) of the Government of Canada. We hope that this medium will further enhance our commitment to facilitate communications among Canadian family violence prevention stakeholders. On behalf of the federal government and 15 member departments, the Public Health Agency of Canada coordinates the Family Violence Initiative. For more information on the Clearinghouse and the Initiative, please visit We want to hear from you! Please send your comments and feedback to our editor at:  The United Nations Secretary-General’s Study on Violence against Children The UN Secretary-General's Study on Violence Against Children is a global study undertaken by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the UN High Commission on Human Rights. The study documents the effects of violence on children and youth world wide and identifies best practices for prevention. The final report was released at the UN in New York City in October 2006. The following Web sites describe how children and youth participated throughout the Study and how they can continue to share their views:
New website informs youth about family violence Justice Canada’s Family Violence Initiative has launched a Web site to inform youth about family violence. Available at www.familyviolencehurts.gc.ca, the site uses colourful graphics and simple language to give young people information on:
The site is for youth who are experiencing family violence or know someone who is. It was designed with two distinct paths: one for children or pre-teens between the ages of 10 and 12, and the other for early teens between the ages of 13 and 15. It is also a useful resource for youth and others (such as teachers and social workers), who are interested in researching family violence in Canada. For more information on the Web site, please contact Stan Farber (sfarber@justice.gc.ca), Counsel; Children’s Law Policy; Family, Children and Youth Section, Department of Justice Canada.
The NCFV offers more than 130 publications, including overview papers, reports, discussion papers and handbooks on family violence issues. NCFV publications are available free of charge, in hard copy or online, in English and French. To order, please visit our Web site or contact us. New Publications for Distribution: Abuse is Wrong in Any Language (Update) A poster series on violence against children developed by youth for youth The NCFV provides an extensive library reference collection, housed in the Health Canada Departmental Library. The following books may be borrowed through interlibrary loan. Please contact the NCFV for more information or visit our Web site: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ncfv-cnivf/lib-eng.php New to the Library Reference Collection: For new French resources please consult the French version of the e-bulletin found below. Discourses of denial: mediation of race, gender, and violence, by Yasmin Jiwani, Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2006, 280 p. Handbook for working with children and youth: pathways to resilience across cultures and contexts by Michael Ungar, Playing at being bad: the hidden resilience of troubled teens, by Michael Ungar, Halifax: Pottersfield Press Rent boys: the world of male sex trade workers, by Michel Dorais, Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press Resilience in children, families and communities: linking context to practice and policy, by Ray Dev Peters, Seen, heard, and believed : what youth say about violence, by Katherine Covell for the UN Secretary-General's Study on Violence Against Children, The unheard speak out: street sexual exploitation in Winnipeg, by Maya Seshia, When teens hurt teens: helping the victim of youth-on-youth criminal violence (fact sheets), by Lisa Heslop et al.; Youth depressive symptoms and changes in relationships with parents and peers. In collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada, the NCFV offers a vast collection of videos that address family violence. Videos may be borrowed through NFB partner public libraries across Canada or through an interlibrary loan through your local public, academic, or institutional library. To obtain a complete list of videos, libraries and distributors, please contact us or vist our online video catalogue. New to the Video Collection: Your Truth is Your Truth — Child Abuse – Adults’ Responsibilities - This video is designed for service providers and other professionals who work with abused children. It explores issues such as reporting and related fears, managing disclosure, and the importance of communication and awareness in order to protect children from abuse. Through a series of interviews, professionals discuss their responsibility to address child abuse (2004). Your Truth is Your Truth – Child Abuse – What You Can Do - This video, hosted by two 14 year olds, emphasizes to children that they have a right to be protected from abuse and encourages them to speak to a trusted adult to get help. Each section of the video is framed with discussion topics that a group leader can use to engage children in some of the more advanced concepts. This video should accompany Your Truth is Your Truth — Child Abuse – Adults’ Responsibilities. An electronic user guide is available at www.youthview.org (2004). Childhood Lost - This video examines the experiences of child abuse and child sexual abuse suffered by four individuals sent to residential schools when they were very young. Viewers learn how some coped with the many years of abuse and the effects it has had on their lives (2002). Publications:
February 25 - March 2, 2007 - Children’s Rights in Practice: Tools for Social Change 2007 (Training), Victoria, BC March 4 - 6, 2007 - Strengthening Canadian Communities: A National Showcase on Community Safety, Health and Well-being, Winnipeg, MB March 8 - 10, 2007 - 2nd International Conference on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Victoria, BC March 15 to 17, 2007 - 2007 - National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence, San Francisco, California, USA www.endabuse.org/health/conference/ May 9-11, 2007 - 3rd International Conference on Children Exposed to Domestic Violence: Research, Prevention, Intervention and Community Collaboration, London, ON, www.lfcc.on.ca/conference.html 2007 Canadian Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Conference The Conference Program Committee invites you to submit abstracts for the 2007 Canadian Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Conference: Evidence, Action, Innovation: Moving to end Injury, Violence and Suicide in Canada Enter your abstract on-line at: www.injurypreventionconference.ca This national event is being co-hosted by Safe Communities Foundation, Safe Kids Canada, SMARTRISK and ThinkFirst Canada from November 11-13, 2007 at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto, Ontario. The overall theme for the 2007 Conference is Evidence, Action, Innovation: Moving to end Injury, Violence and Suicide in Canada. Submissions will incorporate the sub-themes of Evidence, Action and Innovation in relation to the any of the following root causes: social support networks; education; physical environments; social environments; health services; culture; impact of colonialism; spirituality; the role of traditional healers; income; social status; employment and working conditions; biology and genetic endowment; personal health practices and coping skills; gender; and, health across the lifespan. Authors can submit their abstracts as oral presentations (15 minute presentations), workshop or panel presentations (60 minutes) and/or attended poster presentations. There is no limit to the number of abstracts one author can submit. Don’t miss this exciting event! For more information on the 2007 Canadian Injury prevention and Safety Promotion Conference please contact Purple Dog Consulting at: purpledog@sympatico.ca or tel: (613) 798-8029. XIth ISPCAN European Regional Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect The International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) invites you to submit abstracts for the upcoming XIth ISPCAN European Regional Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect entitled, “Supporting Prevention and Recovery from Child Abuse and Neglect: Role of Professionals, Communities and Families.” This Conference is being organized by ISPCAN and The Association of Women against Violence (AMCV) and will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, November 18-21, 2007. • Multi-disciplinary Cooperation: The Impact on Children and Families • Intervention with Offenders • Legal and Law Enforcement Issues in Child Abuse and Neglect • Education and Training of Professionals in Europe • Child Abuse & Neglect and the community (including children in institutions, refugee and displaced children, child labor, child trafficking; child abuse and the internet) Online abstract submission including submission rules and detailed instructions can be found on the Conference website: www.ispcan.org/euroconf2007 Justice Partnership and Innovation Fund Introducing Dr. David Wolfe, Canadian Family Violence Researcher Dr. David Wolfe is a psychologist and author specializing in issues affecting children and youth - including the formation of healthy relationships, bullying prevention, dating violence, unsafe sex, substance abuse and other consequences of unhealthy relationships. Dr. Wolfe is pioneering new approaches to preventing many societal problems. “Educating children and adolescents about forming healthy relationships should be a public health priority,” he says. Consequently, he developed The Fourth "R", a grade nine curriculum on forming healthy relationships, which is currently being piloted in selected Ontario Schools. Dr. Wolfe has broad research and clinical interests in abnormal child and adolescent psychology, with a special focus on child abuse, domestic violence, and developmental psychopathology. He has authored numerous articles on these topics, especially in relation to the impact of early childhood trauma on later development in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Before being appointed RBC Investments Chair in Children's Mental Health & Developmental Psychopathology at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Dr. Wolfe was Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry and Academic Director of the Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children at the University of Western Ontario. He was formerly Chair of the United Nations Sub-Committee on Child Abuse in Peacetime, and Chair of the Violence and Traumatic Stress Review Committee, US National Institute of Mental Health. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and past President of Division 37 (Child, Youth, and Family Services). Girls as Researchers: The Power of Knowledge to Create Change Overview of Project, submitted by Helene Berman, PhD, RN, Principal Investigator Intersecting Sites of Violence in the Lives of Girls is a national study, funded by Status of Women Canada, currently being conducted by community and academic researchers from the Alliance of Canadian Research Centres on Violence. For the overarching purpose of this work and an overview of the first phase of the project visit: http://www.unbf.ca/arts/CFVR/research-girls-violence.php In the current phase, we are using a variety of creative research methodologies and approaches to elicit stories about violence in the lives of girls. Building upon the findings from our earlier research, our aim in the current project is to create ‘safe spaces’ where girls can boast and brag, be feisty, brazen, and proud; and where they can boldly or gently confront the contradictions and challenges of their everyday lives. A key part of this work will be to mentor girls and young women in the research process. In order for research to be relevant and meaningful to girls and to support strategies for change, we must build theoretical and conceptual frameworks that enable us to ‘hear’ what girls are saying about their lives and that capture the diversity of their experiences. Throughout the decades, girls and young women have been silenced and marginalized. Much of what is known about them is based on what their parents or the media tell us. The enthusiasm demonstrated by the girls and young women who have participated in our research indicates that they want an opportunity to talk about important events in their lives. As researchers, it is our responsibility to ensure that we conduct our research in a manner that ensures that their voices and perspectives will be listened to, and heard. Reflections on the Impact of the Project, submitted by Alia, Peer Facilitator My name is Alia and I am one of the peer facilitators in this project. I just want to briefly touch on how important this group is to us girls. I was in a ‘bad situation’ in the past year. And let’s just say if it wasn’t for the Research Coordinators and the Principal Investigator from the girls’ group I was in, my life would have been undescribable (in a bad way). I’m very thankful ‘til this day that I joined this group. Since then I have just felt so protected and supported by each member of this group. And I’m sure other girls feel this way too. Some people don’t understand how important it is for the group to be there just for the young women. It means a lot to us, helps us in many ways. It’s a really good feeling for us girls to just know that there are people to talk to, somewhere to go, where it’s safe, confidential, and warm. I think with my continuous participation in this project, and my life experiences, I can help and support many young women all around the world. And in this supportive environment, I think that our group of young women can take steps in creating opportunities for girls to come together and share their experiences and perspectives.
Information from a Family Violence Initiative partner department: The Canadian Forces Response to Family Violence While there is no evidence to suggest that family violence is any more or less prevalent in the military community than it is within Canadian society at large, in recent years, the Department of National Defence (DND) has developed and implemented policies and programs to address the issue in the Canadian Forces (CF). These programs have been tailored to meet the needs of CF members and their families and take a comprehensive approach, which includes awareness and education, prevention and intervention. Dealing effectively with family violence is an important part of the CF commitment to military families yet it is an area that is not widely understood. Some of the key elements that make up the CF response to family violence are identified below. The Canadian Forces Family Violence Advisory Committee (CF FVAC) - The CF FVAC oversees all CF activities related to family violence. Established in 2001, the committee meets quarterly to assess progress and chart the way ahead and collaborates with elements of National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ), other Government Departments (OGD) and private industry on the spectrum of family violence issues. The committee, which reports to the Chief of Military Personnel, is chaired by the Family Policy Team Leader of the Directorate Quality of Life (DQOL) and comprises representatives from key stakeholder groups including the CF medical community, the military police, the chaplains and family support services. Non-military representation includes a subject matter expert from academia, a non-military spouse and a Senator. Base, Wing and Unit Commanders - Responsible for establishing base/wing family crisis teams, including teams at the unit level if appropriate. They are also responsible for instituting education and awareness programs on the issue of family violence for CF members and families. Family Crisis Teams - The Family Crisis Team normally includes locally-based medical personnel, health promotion field delivery staff, chaplains, military police, Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) Prevention, Support and Intervention Coordinators and, as appropriate, professional health and social service workers from the civilian community. These teams serve as the focal point for coordinating family violence education and intervention at the base/wing level, and provide expert advice and assistance to the chain of command on matters related to family violence. Military Family Services Program - The Military Family Services Program promotes and facilitates community-based military family services that strengthen Canadian Forces families and communities. The Program is delivered primarily through Military Family Resource Centres (MFRCs) established at bases and wings across the country and overseas. MFRCs are independent organizations, governed by community-based boards of directors, which by mandate always comprise a majority of civilian spouses of Canadian Forces members. MFRCs receive public funds to provide services that help CF families to manage the stresses and disruptions associated with the military lifestyle. These services fall under four broad categories: Personal Development and Community Integration; Child/Youth Development and Parenting Support; Family Separation and Reunion; and Prevention, Support and Intervention. Health Promotion – the CF Health Promotion Program, entitled Strengthening the Forces, provides professional and technical advice to the CF FVAC and the CF Medical Services Group on issues related to domestic violence and healthy relationships. Prevention and awareness initiatives that target the CF member are implemented in coordination with similar activities that focus on family members. In addition, local Health Promotion staff and partners, including chaplains, social workers, and MFRC coordinators, have been trained to facilitate the newly developed Basic Relationship Training program. The objective of this program is to prevent problems within the family unit before they start and to enhance healthy relationships. Military Police – The Military Police play an important role in cases of family violence by providing security, support and information to victims by locating and questioning witnesses and by investigating perpetrators. MP units are mandated to provide this support through local Victim Assistance Programs that provide enhanced services to victims, reflecting the need for sensitivity, compassion and care in dealing with victims of family violence. CF Social Workers – CF social workers are located on all CF wings, bases and support units within and outside Canada. As members of the Family Crisis Teams, they are actively involved in the intervention and prevention of family violence. CF social workers are also available to provide marital and family counseling to CF members and their family. Chaplaincy Services – Chaplains are well-equipped and often called on to intervene in cases of family violence and offer pastoral care and chaplain services to families. Canadian Forces Member Assistance Program (CFMAP) - The CFMAP is a free and confidential service that is readily available to help CF and family members who have concerns that affect their personal or family well being or their work performance. Anyone wishing to talk to a professional counsellor or to make an appointment to receive assistance can call the Member Assistance Program, 1-800-268-7708, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The CF remains committed to developing and maintaining response strategies to address family violence and continues to work to alleviate those stressors often associated with it. The prevention of family violence is a priority of the CF, the CF leadership and the CF communities. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PASS IT ON: Please feel free to forward this e-bulletin to a friend or colleague. Past bulletins can be viewed and searched on our website: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ncfv-cnivf/EB/eb-archives-eng.php To subscribe or unsubscribe: National Clearinghouse on Family Violence: Telephone 1-800-267-1291 or (613) 957-2938; TTY 1-800-465-7735 or 613-952-6396; Fax (613) 941-8930; Web site http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/nc-cn; e-mail ncfv-cnivf@phac-aspc.gc.ca |
To share this page just click on the social network icon of your choice.