Violence Against Women Prevention Grant recipients announced

Supporting Island families -

Three Island community groups will receive funding for their efforts to help all women feel safe from the threat of violence.

The Native Council of Prince Edward Island, the PEI Coalition for Women in Government, and PEI Family Violence Prevention Services have been approved for a portion of the province’s new $50,000 Violence Against Women Prevention Grant.

“Whether directly or indirectly, violence against women affects all members of our community,” said minister responsible for the status of women, Paula Biggar. “Our main goal is violence prevention, and this grant will help enable and engage community organizations in prevention efforts.”

The grant provides funding for innovative projects that will enhance awareness, education, and action towards preventing violence against women in Prince Edward Island.

"We are delighted to receive funding to both create and update resources designed to raise awareness and to educate Islanders on violence against women and the services in place to help,” said Danya O'Malley of Family Violence Prevention Services. “Both print and electronic resources will be available on various aspects of violence and its prevention."

"Women’s voices are desperately needed at decision-making tables today, but barriers remain,” echoed Dawn Wilson of the PEI Coalition for Women in Government, another of the groups receiving grant funding. “Too many women – who have the skills, expertise, and ambition for leadership – tell us that harassment and violence keep them from participating fully. Our coalition works to prevent and address all barriers to women’s political participation. Funding for this project will allow us to work to eliminate an important barrier: harassment and violence against women in political leadership.”

The Violence Against Women Prevention Grant is administered through the Interministerial Women’s Secretariat, which has provided more than $200,000 in grants to community organizations across the province since May 2015.
 
Media contact:
April Gallant
aldgallant@gov.pe.ca

Backgrounder

Here are details of the three projects approved for funding by the Violence Against Women Prevention Grant, and their funding amounts.

• Native Council of PEI ($38,000) – The goal of the project is to create a women’s performance group that will increase awareness of violence against women and empower participants to instigate change throughout the province.
• PEI Coalition for Women in Government ($7,000) –The goal of the project is to engage potential candidates, campaign organizers and members of the public to increase awareness, education, and action on harassment and violence against women in political leadership.
• PEI Family Violence Prevention Services ($5,000) –The organization will create a new series of information resources as well as update and redesign the organization’s current services resources.