REACH-OUT TO WOMEN FROM VISIBLE MINORITIES: 2008-2009

Violence against women is a common and serious issue in many communities. Women may face abuse from within their own family or from strangers. Violence can be verbal, physical, emotional, sexual, financial, or any other form of threat, neglect, harassment, discrimination or racism. This objectives of this project are:- To recognize and prevent different shapes of violence against women from the Somali, Sudanese, other African origins, Arab, Latin American and Caribbean Communities,  to build their capacity by  equipping them with related information, to bridge the gap with services providers and foster their inclusion to the society.

Four series of culturally appropriate workshops were delivered to women from the mentioned above
communities.  These workshops covered domestic violence, violence in the work place, prevention of violence against women and alternatives to empower women.

Two conferences were organized; the first one took place on November 20th, 2008 at World Vision Canada. It targeted women from the African and Caribbean communities, however women from other communities participated as well.  The conference highlighted ‘Barrier Free Model for Services That Focus on Women’. A panel consultation took place highlighting access of women to the following services: Shelter and Housing, Mental Health and Addictions, Children Aid, Law Enforcement, and Youth Women Programs.

The second conference was held on February 11th, 2009, at Maple Banquet Hall. It targeted women from the Arab and Latin American communities, women from other communities such as the South Asian, African, Caribbean, and Chinese participated as well.  Presentations, roll plays, and healing practices were delivered in collaboration with the Peel Committee Against Women Abuse, Sexual Assault Rape Crisis Center in Peel, and the Catholic Family of Peel . Community women enriched the conference by sharing their personal testimonials.  Some 600 community members and service providers attended the two conferences.

A resource booklet titled ‘The Courage to Embrace Change’ is developed and distributed; this booklet is a resource guide for women from diverse communities who live in the region of Peel and for service providers who work in the sector of violence against women. The main objective of this booklet is to build awareness and increase knowledge of violence against women, equip women and services providers with a handy tool that they can use easily, and to facilitate women’s connection with related services. It was launched at the second conference on February 11th 2009.

It‘s a tool that highlights the impact of domestic violence on women, different kinds of violence, and how
to deal with an abusive situation.

The financial support from the Status of Women Canada is much appreciated

Doris Hincapie, Project Coordinator