FTP Spring News 2014

Family Transition Place News May is Sexual Abuse/Assault Prevention Month – what it means and what can you do.

Spring 2014

Forward or Delete?

You could end up in jail

Every umbrella sale helps FTP deliver essential services and programs to our community. $20 each or two for $35.

Umbrellas are available at Family Transition Place.

#DoTheRightThing

DART

FTP Staff wear purple to show support.

DUFFERIN CALEDON D o m e s t i c A s s a u l t R ev i e w Te a m

dufferincaledondart.com

May is Sexual Abuse/ Assault Prevention Month.

FTP offers free individual counselling in Orangeville, Bolton, and Shelburne for women and men 16 years of age and older for recent or historical sexual abuse. Through counselling, you can begin to let go of the guilt, anger, and shame that many victims of sexual assault experience and begin to feel empowered, stronger and hopeful about your future.

Family Transition Place 905.584.4357 519.942.4122 familytransitionplace.ca 24 Hour Info/Crisis Line 519.941.4357 905.584.4357 1.800.265.9178 TTY: 519.942.1651

Awareness is needed. Action is needed.

Sexual violence is a serious public health and human rights problem with both short and long-

term consequences on physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health. Whether sexual violence occurs in the context of an intimate partnership, within the larger family or community structure, it is a deeply violating and painful experience for the survivor.

With the growing trend of social media, it’s important to think about sexual violence on a continuum that now involves a whole other platform. Sexting, the publication of intimate photographs on social media sites, and harassment via cyber-space is becoming much more commonplace. Recently, there has been a lot of media attention on cases of young women ending their lives following an experience of sexual violence that was then shared via social media. A victim of sexual violence now, because of the technical ability to reach millions, not only has to deal with the trauma of the actual assault, but the shame and humiliation of that victimization being viewed by friends, family and strangers alike, over and over again. The backlash of harassment, bullying and victim blaming that follows is more than many can bear. We need to stand up against sexual violence and victim blaming. The Dufferin/Caledon Domestic

Assault Review Team (DART) launched their #DoTheRightThing campaign to reach students through social media platforms to create awareness about sexting and sending intimate messages over social media. Youth need to understand, once the image is out there, you can’t control it, or take it back.

What can you do?

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If someone confides in you that they have or are experiencing sexual violence, harassment or cyber-bullying, respond in a supportive,

non-blaming and compassionate way.

Messages such as, “I am sorry for what has happened; this is not your fault. I will do what I can to help.” reinforces that you are the right person for them to speak with.

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Encourage them to report and seek professional help.

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Help spread the message. Share the #DoTheRightThing message! We are asking all of our supporters to take action and spread this message far and wide using your social media feeds. It’s one small act that can help get the

message out.

Engaging Men & Boys as Part of the Solution.

Another year has gone by with almost record setting occupancy in FTP’s shelter.

Sometimes it seems like the staff barely has time to strip a bed and wash the sheets before they are back on and occupied by a different woman.

Years ago, FTP recognized that if we were ever to stem the stream of woman and children seeking refuge in our shelter, it was critical that we work to prevent the violence and abuse before it even started.

So, in order to reach people before the patterns of abuse and unhealthy

relationships were formed, we started speaking to youth and children, taking our messages of respect, self-esteem and healthy communication into classrooms all across Dufferin and Caledon. Our evaluation data is proving that self-esteem goes up and aggressive, bullying behaviour goes down after one of our programs has been run.

Recently, we’ve recognized that there is a group that we are still not engaging as much as we could be: men and boys. And so we are expanding our efforts to engage with men

For too long, violence against women has been seen as a “women’s issue”. But the sad truth is that most of the violence that women experience is perpetrated by men.

So, is it a women’s issue? and boys, in ways we haven’t done before.

Fortunately for us, men of Dufferin and Caledon are stepping up to become allies in this work and shoulder some of the responsibility of educating and engaging other men in the work to end violence

against women. The Headwaters White Ribbon Committee is a group of local fathers, husbands, sons and brothers, who have committed to “never commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women and girls”. The formation of this group and the success of its poster campaign is one of the avenues of engagement FTP embarked on, but it isn’t the only one that we are pursuing.

Building on the success of our popular Youth Education program, we are borrowing some of the same strategies, techniques and experiences to explore alternate ways of reaching men, boys and male youth.

Educating Youth and Engaging Men and Boys are critical components of both FTP’s Strategic Plan and the Voices Initiative project final Action Plan. These plans support FTP’s belief that to ultimately reduce the number of women and children knocking at the shelter door we need to create a culture where, to paraphrase our Vision statement, “all women, children and men live in respect and equality, and in healthy relationships within their families.” A women’s issue? No. Because a society that is safe for girls and women, is also safer and healthier for men and boys. We all win.

Norah Kennedy, Executive Director, Family Transition Place

We asked. They answered. “Why do you support FTP?”

Stacey Coupland After frequent experiences dealing with the impact of woman abuse with my employees over the years, I wanted to help put an end to it. I volunteer at FTP, and have always believed that we all have a responsibility to give back and invest in our community. Working with FTP is a beautiful win/win relationship and one that I am passionate about.

Adrian Bita I understand the critical need for FTP’s services and appreciate the passion associated with this organization. As a man, I am appalled that there is such a need in our community, and I promised myself to do everything I can in order to help FTP achieve their mission in providing services to women and children who have experienced abuse.

Heather Burke I am an avid supporter of Family Transition Place and believe it is instrumental to have an agency in our community that not only educates families on healthy relationships, but provides safe shelter for women and their children that need their help.

Thank you for all your great work FTP!

You can help! Donate to Family Transition Place online at www.canadahelps.org.

Updates and New Event Info at a Glance. $50,000 raised at the annual International Women’s Day Celebration Luncheon.

Mark your calendars and register early for the Ferguson Memorial Walk.

Thank you to all of our sponsors, vendors, guests and guest speaker, Lesley Page, who spoke to a sold out crowd of 300+ guests.

Collect pledges and join us at this inspiring fundraiser in memory of Heidi Ferguson who lost her life due to a tragic domestic dispute with her estranged husband.

The walk takes place at Island Lake on September 21st.

More info at fergusonmemorialwalk.com.

Headwaters White Ribbon Committee hosts 1st Annual Father’s Day Breakfast.

FTP celebrated its loyal volunteers during National Volunteer Appreciation Week.

Fathers, sons and brothers! Gather together for a fundraiser breakfast on Saturday, June 14th, 9am-11am at Westside Secondary School. Join Toronto Argonauts alumni and a representative from the National White Ribbon Campaign. Info at headwaterswhiteribbon.ca.

Celebrating milestone achievements: 5 years: Deborah Brook and Stacey Coupland 10 years: Richard Fearon, Lenora Netzke and Gillian Vanderburgh

Join us to hear kidnap survivor, bestselling author and humanitarian – Amanda Lindhout

FT “new P’s fundr ” fall ai event ser .

A woman whose compassion and determination are a powerful portrait of the strength of the human spirit, she founded the Global Enrichment Foundation to empower, educate and provide aid in the very country where she lost her freedom. Amanda’s trajectory as a woman of unique resilience, vision and action has made her an inspiring example of how one person can enact positive change on a worldwide scale. Meet Amanda and hear her story. Event includes lunch, book-signing and cocktail reception.

In 2012, the Women’s Executive Network named Amanda one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

“Amanda is an inspiring speaker with a message that is absolutely vital for our times.” — Eckhart Tolle, author of the internationally best-selling book The Power of Now

Hockley Valley Resort | Friday, Sept. 26 | 12:00-4:30pm | Check our website for more details – familytransitionplace.ca.

Shelter Voices – The Results are In. “Greater financial support from social services so women are not choosing between a life with violence or a life in poverty.” – One of the comments that came out of the first Canadian Annual Survey produced by the Canadian Network of Women’s Shelters and Transition Houses in March 2014. This survey also provided some insight into the gaps and challenges women’s shelters are facing. Here are some of the results:

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On one day, 242 Shelters in Canada helped 4,178 women and 2,490 children.

On one day in Ontario, 56 shelters helped 1,552 women and 660 children.

Shelters were asked if they could change one thing that would make things better for abused women and their children it would be: • Affordable and safe housing • Comprehensive and promptly responsive legal system • Income and social support • Interconnected and continuous services Read more about these results at http://endvaw.ca/news-events. What can you do to help? Support your local shelter, volunteer, educate. Together, we can make a difference.

“Coming from a life of abuse, I have never been treated with such kindness and respect.”

– Shelter resident”

Our Mission: To be a leader in the work to eliminate woman abuse by supporting women, children, men, their families and the community.

Celebrating Women has Global Reach This artwork was graciously provided to us by Priya Anand Pariyani. We featured Priya’s art last year in our Celebrating Women 2013 magazine, and she got in touch with us after viewing the magazine online. Priya lives in India; you can imagine how thrilled and pleased we were that Celebrating Women Exciting news! In line with Family Transition Place’s strategic plan for supporting service excellence, and to meet a requirement of our funder, the Central West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), we are pleased to announce that we are embarking on becoming accredited by 2016! Being a fully accredited organization will demonstrate a commitment to improving the quality and efficacy of our services, in a manner that meets both

March 2014

CELEBRATING WOMEN a publication of family transition place

Lesley Page

Finding the Courage to Soar

Designing the Future

Anne-Marie Pollowy Toliver

A world beyond critical mass Norah Kennedy

ordinary women: extraordinary capabilities

Janeen Halliwell

A life forever changed Kelley Potter

has had in international impact. Thank you, Priya, for these lovely images. Just beautiful.

Celebrating Women 2014 was released on March 7th, in conjunction with our International Women’s Day Celebration Luncheon Fundraiser. View the digital copy online today by visiting the Family Transition Place website – familytransitionplace.ca.

performance and efficiency standards. This will require steadfast dedication and commitment from every facet of the agency as the accreditation process focuses on results for people, organizational excellence and community development. We will keep you up to date on our progress as we take this journey on the path to serving the needs of our community in the best way possible.

What It’s Really Like Working at a Women’s Shelter – We asked Alex, an FTP employee who has been working in the shelter for nine years.

Family Transition Place does so much more than provide short term emergency housing and food for women and their children, we strive to create a

or family has their own bedroom to spend quality time together. As in many homes, each day ends with everyone gathering in a dining area, as food tends to foster good conversations and relationships.

environment to help them

All families have access to healthy food options and each family takes turns cooking dinner.

The building is equipped with a security system and safety planning is done regularly.

women-centred,

rebuild their lives .

Our non-judgmental staff assist women and children to get familiar with their new surroundings and reassure them that they are safe. We are here to offer a warm, welcoming smile or a hot cup of tea but we offer so much more as well. We also provide the women with a supportive, nonjudgmental environment for them to regain control of their lives, discuss their feelings and empower them with abuse education. We help them with goal setting – whether they are returning to their partner or establishing housing on their own.

The shelter consists of many inclusive spaces for all to use and each woman

One of the most rewarding things about working here is to see women develop their own sense of self-worth. Women and children leave the shelter feeling supported and respected, and shelter staff feel rewarded; feeling they have played a role in stopping violence against women.

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