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BC Coalition of Women’s Centres
For release July19th, 2002
Minister of State for Women’s Equality’s Violence
Against Women consultations are hypocritical, secretive and fraudulent, say
Women’s Centres
Protest planned for Vancouver, July 20th
VANCOUVER — The Minister of State for Women’s Equality is “On Tour.”
Lynn Stephens is having closed consultation meetings across the province
to discuss her “Safer Community Strategy.”
Yet many women’s groups have not been invited to these secretive consultation
meetings, and in some cases, entire communities have been left off the invitation
list. Meetings are being held without regard to regional structure,
forcing some of the invited participants to drive three or four hours to
attend a one hour meeting.
Further to the confused planning of this event, most women’s centres who
have been invited were given only a few days notice to attend these consultation
meetings.
The discussion paper for the so-called “Safer Community Strategy” says it
“will address issues relating to women who have experienced violence or are
at risk of experiencing violence, and children who have witnessed abuse of
their mothers/caregivers. It will include physical and sexual assault,
or the threat of physical or sexual assault, and other behaviors which are
part of the continuum of violence.”
The BC Coalition of Women’s Centres questions the sincerity of this clumsily
organized consultation. These extremely short meetings, which are being
held in the height of summer (sometimes on weekends), and are inaccessible
to a large number of rural communities, clearly show that Minister Stephens
is not really interested in gathering authentic input. It is more likely
that the Minister wishes to return to the Legislature in the fall with the
claim that she has indeed consulted with communities and women’s groups on
violence against women.
The Government of BC has already implemented devastating, draconian legislation
that is having a serious and detrimental impact on women who experience or
are at risk of experiencing violence. The BC Coalition of Women’s Centres
questions the hypocrisy of consulting on this subject, when the cutbacks
and program changes that are putting women and children at a dramatically
increased risk have already been made, and are still being made, with the
clearly stated intent to “stay the course.”
The BC Coalition of Women’s Centres, among many other women’s groups in BC,
have already alerted both the Minister and her Government, on many occasions
and in many formats, to the issues currently surrounding violence against
women in BC, and have begged the Minister to start speaking up on behalf
of her constituency—women. The Minister’s record in the Legislature
has been notable only as it demonstrates her silence.
Most notable is the half-hearted attempt at including women’s centres in
this “consultation.” Women’s centres funding is slated to be cut by March
2004, clearly demonstrating the lack of commitment by this government, and
in particular, this minister, to ending violence against women.
Also sent to the chopping block have been many of the sexual assault programs,
woman assault programs, legal aid, community-based victims services and other
programs essential to women experiencing or at risk of experiencing violence.
The Government of BC has also reneged on pay equity and promises not to cut
income assistance and childcare programs, which are essential to women seeking
the economic independence they need to be safe from violence.
In October 2001, when the Coalition sought a consultation meeting with Ms.
Stephens while she was in Vancouver, where Coalition members were gathered
for a conference, she refused, instead offering a one-hour meeting in Victoria
to which women’s centres were expected to pay their travel costs. We
have since made repeated requests to speak with George Abbott, the Minister
of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services, and have received no response.
These “consultations” are hypocritical and fraudulent.
A protest of these closed “Safer Community Strategy” consultations is to
be held at the consultation scheduled in Vancouver for Saturday, July 20th.
From 9:30 am till 12:00 noon, demonstrators will gather outside of the Ministry
of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services office at 1125 Howe Street
(Howe and Helmckin). Members of the BC Coalition of Women’s Centres
will be available to speak to the media.
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If you have questions/comments for BCCWC, please
e-mail us at
bcwomen@telus.net
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This page last updated:
August 12, 2002
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