Together Against Violence Network
Newsletter Spring 2001
Together
Against Violence Newsletter
Looking Back: by
Tricia Andrew Director of
Community Services, North Shore Neighbourhood House
Early
in 1992 as the Executive
Director of Capilano Community Services, I sat on The United Way Child and
Youth Committee with Caroline Bonesky, the Municipal Youth Development
Coordinator. Our mandate was to raise awareness around violence
prevention. Caroline asked
C.C.S.S. to apply for a United Way project grant, and the committee
wholeheartedly supported the proposal.
Caroline came up with the brilliant name for the initiative “The TOGETHER
Against VIOLENCE” Network. Thanks to her the dream became a reality.
This
grant provided the foundation for
volunteers and staff from all sectors of the North Shore community to come
together with a common goal. This vision had the power to bridge differences,
involve a broad range of services, non-profit agencies, faith communities,
government and business as well as individuals. It was exciting it made a
difference in people’s lives—it wasn’t just more talk—it was concrete action!
I have
fond memories of the first opening ceremony at the Squamish Nation Recreation
Centre, to kick off the first TOGETHER Against VIOLENCE “November Campaign”.
The Network was blessed by Chief Baker with the members clasping hands in a
circle. It was so moving to
witness the tremendous hope and commitment of everyone, willing to work
together to make this happen.
Looking
back at the last 10 years, I’m thrilled
at TAV’s accomplishments. I am thrilled at being the first chairperson, with
the opportunity to work with dedicated people, representing so many parts of
the community.
We
have celebrated our
achievements-provincial and national recognition-requests for TAV material from
as far as Japan and South Africa. The networks success has inspired many
communities in B.C. to adopt a similar model. The November campaign has had an
overwhelming response. In the year 2000, 16,000 purple ribbons were distributed,
2000 people attended 40 events, 9,000 bulletins published, 22 newspaper
articles, and incredible media support. The 3 North Shore municipalities declared November TOGETHER Against
VIOLENCE month, initiating an annual award ceremony to acknowledge the contributions
of individuals and organizations, working to raise awareness and prevent
violence.
People
make miracles happen. 10 years ago a few people determined to make a
difference. Their hope was to plant the seeds that would shift attitudes
and create changes; to strengthen
and enhance the quality of life we all treasure.
The TAV
Network has been an inspiration to all of us, making the North Shore a safer
and healthier place to live.
My
heartfelt thanks to all the
wonderful people that have worked so hard to serve our community with such
commitment and compassion. They
are the heart and soul of the TAV Network.
Deflating the Bully: a community story
By Lizanne Fisher & Dorothy Wolf: Home Free Project Facilitators
North Shore Crisis Services
Society, 987-1773
The Home Free art show, presented
by North Shore Crisis Services Society that opened TOGETHER Against VIOLENCE
Month in November 2000, strengthened the community through its
demonstration of personal courage, triumph, optimism, honesty and healing. Through powerful art and text, the 7
women who participated in the project, told their stories of living with and
leaving violent relationships and building new lives.
The Home Free art show told a community story of triumph over the bully. It emphasized the universality of the experience of violence and the impact of violence on the community. It called for a community solution.
The
art in the installation did not
allow viewers to disengage from the issue. It was presented in a way that was clearly socially
purposeful, invited participation, and built interconnectedness in the
community. The public could identify this story in their own lives and in the
lives of people around them, and feel lifted out of hopelessness. As one visitor said: "It got the
story across without being preachy. It was also hopeful and positive in
demeanour.”
Visitors spent hours pouring over the women's text on panels, in journals, on audiotape and woven through the installation as well as the artwork. With enthusiasm, they symbolically deflated the bully by puncturing balloons attached to his beard.
One
mother said she came to understand
her daughter's experience. A
therapist appreciated the attention paid to the “trap of enchantment" as a
critical component that must be addressed in leaving violent
relationships. Another woman
commented on how much "Disney" has affected women. Several men reported recognizing their
story with violence in Home Free also.
The
Home Free project demonstrated how
the community is strengthened as its individual members are strengthened. People who saw the show reported
feeling inspired by it.
We had a guest at the Home Free show tell us that, having seen an article on the project in the community paper, "If these women are courageous enough to tell their stories, then I can at least show up to support their efforts." Another woman called to tell us that having seen the Home Free show gave her the courage to speak up in a super market when a father was verbally abusing his young son.
The
installation reframed the issue of
violent into one in which we are all participants and cocreators of our social
fate. Individual's actions are our most valuable resource
in making change. We celebrated the
victory of the individual heroines in our community. We celebrated ourselves.
The impact of media violence on children By Trish Gauntlett: Manager of Child
Care & Information Services North Shore Community Resources
We are
all aware that violence on television, in movies, videos, video games and on
the internet impacts children. But what kind of an impact does it have and what
can we do about it?
Research
shows that there are three major
effects of watching media violence:
·
children may become
less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others;
·
children may become
more fearful of the world around them, believing that the world is as mean and
dangerous in real life as it appears to be on TV and in movies; and
·
children may be more
likely to behave in aggressive or harmful ways towards others.
We also
know that playing video games is associated with a variety of physical effects
including increased metabolic and heart rates and seizures. Children and adults
who watch a lot of violence on TV and play violent video games may develop
favourable attitudes about the use of violence to solve conflicts.
Five
violent acts are committed during
every hour of prime time TV and 20 to 25 violent acts during every hour of
Saturday morning children’s programming. Saturday morning TV is a way for
advertisers to get at children. When advertisers talk about a child audience
they mean from 2 to 12.
In the summer of 2000, five of the most important professional associations in the United States involved with children and health issues came out with a joint statement which said that they had reviewed more than 1000 research studies and concluded unequivocally that media violence contributes to violence among youth.
We can reduce the number of hours children watch TV, surf the net, play video games and watch movies. We know that children need a wide variety of activities for healthy development. We can talk to children, discuss violence and stereotypes and encourage watching programs and movies with positive messages.
We can take responsibility. We adults, not the children, decide what is watched, how the internet is used and what games are played. Above all, we can strengthen the constructive role that media can play in the lives of children & families. Used wisely, communications & entertainment media can bring a world of creative energy into our lives and the lives of children. These remarkable, powerful media are here to stay. It’s up to us to be in control of them, not the other way around.
Child Pornography: Court ruling
By Kit
Stevenson: Unit Against Violence and Pornography, Anglican
Church
Diocese
of New Westminster
The
Supreme Court of Canada upheld one
of the broadest child pornography laws in the world on January 26, 2001. This unanimous decision overturned two
earlier decisions in British Columbia that had struck down Canada's
anti-possession law as an infringement on the constitutional rights of
pornography collectors. Justice
Beverley McLachlin stated in the unanimous 9-0 judgment: "Freedom of
expression is not absolute." John Robin Sharpe and dozens of others
across Canada now must face charges that were on hold until the outcome of this
Supreme Court decision.
Endorsing
the 1993 federal government legislation on child pornography, McLachlin stated
again: "Possession of child pornography contrives to the market which
in turn drives production involving the exploitation of children. Possession of child pornography may
facilitate the seduction and grooming of victims and may break down inhibitions
or incite potential offences."
The
two exceptions of possession
are: 1) Fictional writing and drawings; and 2) Visual recordings made of
individuals provided the recording does not depict unlawful sexual
activity. Such depictions may be
held exclusively for private use.
These exceptions will not protect holders of such material whose intent
is to distribute in any way.”
The Supreme Court ruling affirms that it is not illegal to have a "sick mind", but that those who do, are not allowed to inflict their perversions on others, especially when to do so would put children at risk. These exceptions are still controversial. Three of the Supreme Court justices dissented, saying they would have upheld the entire pornography law.
As a
faith community, we concur with the
statement, Vancouver Sun Jan. 27, 2001, that unanimity is a rare thing when
important rights are at stake. We
also think that the Supreme Court gave a wise decision, which includes a
reasonable compromise.
As a
society, we have come a long
way since 1993 when child pornography legislation was passed. Hopefully the courts can deal
expediently with the 100 child porn cases pending all these years. We as parents, educators, law enforcers
and the religious and sexual communities across this land should watch and
expect this to happen.
Dolores: a powerful drama on domestic violence
By
Laura Di Cicco: Laughing Baubo
Productions
Laura
Di Cicco and Victoria Maxwell brought their combined 24 years of theatre
experience to stage this exciting drama. They created Laughing Baubo in June of
2000 after realizing that they both shared a similar passion for plays with
social importance. Tammy Bentz then joined the team in October to become the
show’s director.
Victoria and Laura chose to do a show on domestic violence after a friend recommended the script. They decided, however, that a panel discussion was needed at the end of each performance. With a panel consisting of people with varied experiences on do
Written
in 1985 by Edward Allan Baker, Dolores is a short one-act play
addressing domestic violence. Dolores, after whom the show is named, is
desperately trying to end the violence in her life. She is running from her
current husband who has become dangerous. Dolores has come to realize that her
life must change.
She
seeks the help of her younger sister
Sandra. Sandra, however, is not prepared for such a proactive sister. Dolores’
intense determination for change, combined with a crisis at the end of the play
and a surprising secret that is revealed finally brings the sisters together.
Dolores is a bittersweet story filled with intense drama and comical irony.
It is a play that challenges the viewer to seriously consider his or her
perception of the issue of domestic violence mestic violence, old solutions
could be enhanced and new ones could be discovered out of the questions that Dolores
poses. Also, for Laura, personal experiences were additional motivating
factors. She had wanted for years to work on a show that reflected this issue.
The year 2000 was the year.
.Despite the small houses, Dolores was extremely well-received. Since the show, there has been a flood of interest to either re-mount it, or develop a new script on the subject. Currently, Tammy Bentz and Laura Di Cicco are working to attain funding to continue this work. Unbeknownst to Laughing Baubo, Dolores touched and affected many more people than they expected. It not only made people think; it brought people together.
Work Goes On: Protecting Women
by North Shore Domestic Violence Prevention
Coordinator
Stopping
violence against women in
relationships requires intervention on many levels and a solid commitment on
the part of the community. It was
with these assumptions in mind that the North Shore Coordinating Committee to
End Violence Against Women in Relationships was formed well over ten years
ago.
The
Committee, which is comprised of representatives from the criminal justice,
social services, community agencies, and health systems, works together to
create and maintain a coordinated, consistent and effective response to women
who are experiencing violence by their intimate partners. The vision of the Committee is to find
ways that the community can provide greater safety for women and hold the
offenders more accountable for their violent behaviour.
Over
the past ten years, individual
members have come and gone but the commitment of the various systems to the
Committee's mandate has remained constant. The challenges of bringing together such a diverse group
with different perspectives and mandates have been many. However, these challenges have been
balanced by the willingness of the members to work through differences, and find
creative ideas about how to effectively stop violence against women. Some of the key accomplishments
include:
TAV Today: Community stands strong
By Yvonne Maes: TAV Network Administrator
It
was late afternoon of June 12th,
2000 when I walked into Delbrook Community Centre for my first TOGETHER Against VIOLENCE Network meeting.
Within
minutes some 16 Network members assembled around the table. I noted how
animated they were as they greeted each other. This would be no dull business
meeting, I realized with relief and excitement. The members came from various
church groups, social service agencies, police forces, government departments,
school districts, and interested citizens.
Since
that initial meeting I have been
awed at the solid groundwork the Network members have put down. TAV is truly part of North Shore
community life. I consistently meet with, "Oh yes, TOGETHER Against VIOLENCE. What can I do to help?" Thank you Network members for this
positive grassroots foundation.
What
is TAV Doing these days?
TAV is
unique in that it seeks to mobilize the North Shore community to action on
issues related to violence. Each
member of the Network is responsible for carrying the work of awareness raising
into their own particular environment be it agency, church, youth group, school
system, club etc.
The Buddy System: Violence prevention through music by Sue Malcolm
Buddy
System cont’d from page 8
I
realized how effective this could be as a teaching resource. It struck me that
I was doing precisely what advertisers attempt to do with commercial jingles -
change patterns of behaviour.
Billions of dollars are spent every year on musical productions for
advertising because it works! So, I thought, why not use this concept to teach
kids to interact more peacefully.
For
the past five years, The Buddy
System participated in TOGETHER
Against VIOLENCE Month in November by presenting a public performance. Last year's show was a celebration of
the release of our CD, "Work It Out". Stay tuned for news of this year's show.
In the
meantime, you can catch The Buddy System at the Vancouver International
Children's Festival in May, in addition to our regular schedule of school
performances.
I do
believe in the African saying,
"It takes a village to raise a child”. Between The Buddy System and the
Queen Mary Community Project, I think I'm on the right track. And I still
believe each of us can have a role in changing the world.
The
Buddy System can be contacted at
www.buddy-system.org. The CD “Work
It Out” is available on the North Shore at BC Playthings, Kidsbooks, Indigo
Books and HMV Park Royal.
Solar Power by Shona Fraser
Designed
as a workshop manual for youth, Solar
Power is a
North Vancouver violence prevention initiative. Intended as a
continuation of the popular Youth Power manual, Solar Power has
taken on a life of it’s own. With the help of adult supervisors, the project
was driven by youth from the developing research stages to the final editing
process. Hours of hard work and dedication resulted in this, a comprehensive
and relative workshop facilitation manual.
Material
offered in the manual deals with current issues such as bullying, self-esteem
and anger. The modules contained in Solar Power are written in a
youth-friendly way, so that teens may explain and teach the information to
their peers.
The
project has been endorsed by various youth outreach agencies as well as the
North Vancouver school district and RCMP.
Funding
for Solar Power came from the
National Crime Prevention Strategy. For more information, please contact Annie
at 990-2454 or Lisa at 983-7385.
Some initiatives accomplished since TAV's inception include:
·
Annual November TOGETHER Against VIOLENCE Month - 35 events,
2000 posters & 7000 bulletins
·
Annual purple ribbon
campaign - 30,000 ribbons in schools and community
·
Annual Turn Off the
Violence Day - third Thursday of November
·
Zero Tolerance of
Violence Against Women Policy - City & District of North Vancouver
·
Proclamations made
annually by two School Districts & three Mayors
·
Youth Violence
Prevention Project
·
Coverage annually by
North Shore News & Shaw Community Cable
·
TAV Model exported to
places including Newfoundland, Sweden, New Zealand, & South Africa
Other
community activities:
·
Network for Adults at
High Risk steers the OAK Tree Project
·
Solar Power: Manual on
prevention of violence for youth
·
Light up the
Night-Lonsdale - Youth March
·
November 2001 is the
ninth annual
TOGETHER
Against VIOLENCE
Month
GET INVOLVED
Please wear a purple ribbon this November to show
your support for a community stand against violence. For information call
Yvonne Maes at
985 7138 ext. 317