November 2, 2009

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION MONTH LAUNCHED WITH NEW INITIATIVES TO COUNTER TECHNO-STALKING, PROTECT CHILDREN– – –Investments in Family Violence Prevention Increased by $560,000: Allan, Mackintosh

Manitoba will launch a new training and education strategy to help identify and prevent the growing challenge of stalking by use of technology and provide $248,000 for two initiatives designed to help children directly affected by family violence, Labour and Immigration Ministers Nancy Allan, minister responsible for the status of women, and Family Services and Housing Minister Gord Mackintosh announced today.

“Advances in technology have made our lives easier, but unfortunately a stalker can turn that technology into a way to monitor, track or control the movement or communication of their victim,” said Allan. “We want to make sure the frontline service providers and individuals are aware of the risks so they can take steps to protect themselves and children.”

Manitoba’s techno-stalking prevention strategy will be developed in conjunction with experts and the community and is expected to be launched this winter, Allan said. It will focus on educating victims of family violence as well as service providers about the new threats that different kinds of technology can create.

The strategy will focus on training and education as well as public awareness. Manitoba’s current domestic violence anti-stalking legislation is among the strongest in the country and already has measures in place to deal with stalkers who use technology to prey on their victims, said Allan.

Manitoba is committed to assisting families when there is a history or a concern about domestic violence, Mackintosh said. The Winnipeg Children’s Access Agency (WCAA) is one of two supervised access programs funded by the Family Violence Prevention Program (FVPP).

This year, the WCAA is receiving a $167,000 increase in annual funding to expand its ability to provide a non-confrontational environment for supervised visits with family including grandparents. This additional funding will allow the agency to double its capacity for family visits with children.

“The impacts of family violence on children can be devastating,” said Mackintosh. “We hope that by offering awareness and support to children affected by family violence we can not only protect individuals today but help stop the cycle of violence in future generations.”
At the Root is an initiative established in November 2006 to assist children in Manitoba who have been exposed to domestic violence. A total of $456,000, including a new commitment of $81,000 for At the Root, has been allocated under the Family Violence Prevention Program to community agencies to enhance services for children and youth. More than 800 children and youth have benefited from services under the At the Root initiative.

Stalking is a serious problem around the world, Allan said. A recent report from the United States Bureau of Justice Statistics estimated that 14 of every 1,000 adults in the U.S. were victims of stalking. One out of every four stalking victims reported some form of cyber-stalking by methods such as email or instant messaging.

Part of Manitoba’s effort to combat stalking includes an ongoing public awareness campaign including outdoor ads and displays in community areas such as neighbourhood stores.

If you, or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence or feels they are being stalked, contact the police or the toll-free provincial domestic violence crisis line at 1-877-977-0007.

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