We’re two days into Prevention of Violence Against Women Week 2013 and I’m here to tell you that prevention and intervention has never been more important as a casual look at the headlines reveals male violence against women and girls continues…unabated.

No doubt you have noticed that our communities live a significant part of the day online and like any environment the online environment can be dangerous.  So, once again, Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS) is taking our gender violence prevention message online for Prevention of Violence Against Women Week 2013.  We’re travelling through the Twitterhood , Facebook and blogging at Ending Violence to share with our community that “It’s in Your Hands”.  Below, please take a read at the post, our youth consultant, Rona Amiri prepared, which will give you a sense of where we’re going with the week. Please forward this email with your contacts and share our posters.  The image attached is one of three we are working with during the week.

For over 30 years, we have been on the frontline taking action in this war on girls and women.  Prevention of violence against women week gives us another opportunity to check in with you and together take a fresh look what ending violence against girls and women really means.  We don’t want to stop there…you know, with just looking…with this week we join with you where together we align our efforts toward sustained and sufficient action that gets deep into the roots and feeds the energy we need to do the work to see the future free of gender violence.

Sincerely,

Angela Marie MacDougall

Executive Director

Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS)

Presents:

Preventing Violence Against Women – It’s In Your hands

Preventing Violence Against Women Week 2013

Battered Women’s Support Services believes in the importance of engaging women, youth and men in violence prevention. In 2010, BWSS launched The Violence Stops Here Campaign that took the anti violence message forward into the 21st Century recognizing that violence against women isn’t only a woman’s issue but is clearly an issue for men. We urge men to own their role in ending violence against women, become part of the solution and break the silence. http://www.theviolencestopshere.ca/

We have also delivered youth prevention programming since the late 1980’s. We consistently provided education workshops to the tune of over 1,600 sessions over the past 20 or so years. Currently, our YOUth Ending Violence education prevention program is presented to youth across British Columbia.

During Prevention of Violence Against Women Week we will engage our online community in violence prevention by remembering we all have a role to play in preventing violence against girls and women as individuals, in our relationships, in our community and in society.

During the week of April 14th – 21st, 2013, join our online community to engage, empower and prevent violence at www.bwss.org/endingviolence

Here is a selection of Ending Violence blog posts on ways in which women, youth and men prevent violence:

Lessons from Steubenville by Rona Amiri

https://www.bwss.org/2013/03/lessons-from-steubenville-by-rona-amiri/

YOUth Ending Violence by Rona Amiri and Tijash Ramirez

https://www.bwss.org/2012/10/youth-ending-violence-by-rona-amiri-and-tijash-ramirez-2/

I’MPOWER–The Violence Stops Here

https://www.bwss.org/2012/10/impowerthe-violence-stops-here/

Got Consent?

https://www.bwss.org/2012/06/5870/

Youth Taking Action to End Violence Against Girls and Women

https://www.bwss.org/2011/09/youth-taking-action-to-end-violence-against-girls-and-women/

Don’t Be That Guy – Urging Men to Own Their Role to End Rape

https://www.bwss.org/dont-be-that-guy-urging-men-to-own-their-role-to-end-rape/

Real Men Speak Up Against Violence Against Women

https://www.bwss.org/2010/09/real-men-speak-up-against-violence-against-women/

Men – What YOU Can Do

https://www.bwss.org/2010/09/men-what-you-can-do/

Ten Things Men Can Do

https://www.bwss.org/2008/08/ten-things-men-can-do/

We invite you to join our discussions on violence prevention on our Facebook page and on our Twitter @EndingViolence