Monday, November 24, 2008
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11 Volume 35, Issue 12
www.mediumonline.ca
Casting light on a dark problem ANDREW HAMILTON-SMITH FEATURES EDITOR
Over fifty staff and students braved the cold to attend the third annual Light the ight event last Thursday evening and raise awareness about violence against women. Standing amidst paper lanterns with inspirational messages written on them, such as “respect women and yourself,” or “real love doesn’t hurt,” the assembled supporters were thanked by Rita Kohli of the Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centre of Peel for raising almost $600, which was donated to her organization. Kohli explained that violence against women was a human rights issue and she thanked UTM students for drawing attention to the issue “on behalf of women in Peel and women worldwide.” She further pointed out that violence is a major problem, since one in every two women will experience sexual violence, and one in every four women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime. After gathering in front of Oscar Peterson Hall and being thanked by both organizers and Kohli, the candle-holding crowd set off on a (mostly) quiet walk through campus, which drew the attention of the surprisingly
large numbers of people still around at ten o’clock at night. The walk was followed closely at all times by UTM Campus Security and the Walk-Safe Patrol, who were on-hand to offer support for the cause, more than to protect against any dangers. Although there have been no sexual assaults reported at UTM in the past year, it is hard to say that none have occurred, since 50 per cent of sexual assaults are left unreported, according to lead organizer Justin Frofina, a fourth-year Forensic Science and Chemistry student. A residence don, Frosina has organized this event for the last three years, and although he was “pleased with the turn-out,” he added that “hopefully next year will be even better.” “This is a great event,” Frofina said, “even though it may be a little cold tonight, it is well worth it to come out.” Light the ight is the culmination of the fundraising drive and is run in conjunction with the White Ribbon campaign, which benefited the Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centre of Peel. The money was raised by collecting pennies, and far exceeded their initial goal of $200, according to organizer and residence don Jeff Wong. Wong became involved with this event because he wanted to be a part of “something on a greater scale,” and wanted to make a difference in the lives of others. “It is very important to give back to the community,” Wong says, which he also does as a member of Peer Academic Leaders (PALS). Although the general purpose of
Light the ight is always to raise awareness about violence against women, residence don Leann Schneider says that each year a different beneficiary for the fundraising drive is selected. The Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centre plays a vital role in offering assistance to women who oftentimes have nowhere else to turn, and thus qualified as a deserving recipient of the funds. Statistics Canada provides troubling figures regarding violence against women, such as the fact that younger women—between 14 and 24—experience the highest rates of sexual assault. Even though reported cases of violence against women have been declining somewhat since 1993, women are still far more likely to be stalked, assaulted, or even killed than men. Their assailants are commonly ex-partners or spouses, and almost 40 per cent of women assaulted said that their children witnessed the abuse. Faced with incontrovertible evidence showing that violence against women is a major problem, “I had to do something,” says Frosina. Raising awareness is the first step towards a solution, since it may encourage women to report assault, and may also lead some people to recognize the signs of violence when they see them. When Kohli asked the crowd how many people know someone who has been assaulted, nearly everyone put up their hand. Reported assaults may be slowly declining, but evidently violence against women is still prevalent in our society.
photo/Lara Matiisen
The third annual Light the Night walk raised almost $600 for the Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centre of Peel, in addition to raising awareness about violence against women and children.
Tempers flare at Child Care meeting FIONA BUCHANAN
A meeting regarding the new licensed childcare centre at the University of Toronto, Mississauga (UTM) was held on Tuesday, November 18 in the Council Chambers. The purpose of the meeting was to inform parents about the new facility, and its program. Fees, application processes, and subsidies available to parents in need of financial assistance were also covered. The scheduled opening date of the childcare centre is February 2009, although this date is dependent upon the progress of contractors hired to build the facility. The meeting was led by Francesca Dobbin, director of Family Programs
and Services, and Cheryl DeGras, manager of the Early Learning Centre, both from the University of Toronto. Concern regarding the cost of childcare was raised by parents attending the meeting. The fees will match those at the U of T Early Learning Centre at the St. George campus. “It’s matching the downtown price, but it’s not okay here [at the Mississauga campus] because it doesn’t compare to the prices of daycare nearby,” said Farzeen Ahmed, a commerce student and mother of two children aged five and two. Cheryl DeGras emphasized that the cost of the service was based on its focus on education as opposed to childcare alone. “If you compare the quality of service that is provided in our program,
you would see the difference in the quality of experience that the child has,” she said. “One of the highest indicators of quality is the training of the early childhood educators and the level of interaction [with the children]. What makes our program unique is that we see the education of children as equal to the care piece,” added DeGras. Based on current rates, students with one toddler will pay $1,180 per month, or $60 a day at the new centre. Non-students using the facility pay $1,480 per month, or $96 a day. Fees are expected to increase as of January 1, 2009. “Last year, the increase was four to five percent [at the Early Learning Centre at St. George]. Generally speaking, fees go up about three to nine per-
cent [per year], depending on increasing operating costs,” said Dobbin in regards to the increase. The current child minding facility in the Student Centre at UTM charges $5 per hour to a maximum of $40 per day, which would be approximately $800 per month. Even if the student price is applied, the difference parents will pay at the new centre is almost 50 per cent more than at the current facility. St. Hilary’s Day Care Centre in Mississauga charges $959.74 per month for a toddler, according to their website. Like the Early Childhood Education Centre of U of T, they also have a focus on education, but are run by a parent- and community-based board of directors. “My problem is that I already paid a deregulated [tuition] fee, and I had to go
part-time because I am a mother, so I will be getting my degree in six or seven years,” said Ahmed. “This new model suggests that you have to get another loan and put your child in the early learning centre, or you sacrifice your education. I can’t work and be a student and be a mother,” added Ahmed in response to the cost of the new centre. Dobbin pointed out that there is nothing that UTM can do about the cost of the program. “The fees are already preset by the management of the Early Childhood Education Centre at U of T based on the cost of materials, food for children, and cost of staffing,” she explained. Continued on page 3