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The province is partnering with Aboriginal organizations and front-line agencies to form the Manitoba Action Group on Exploited and Vulnerable Women, Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sports Minister Eric Robinson, acting minister of Aboriginal and northern affairs, announced today.

 

“The abuse and exploitation of vulnerable women and girls must stop,” Robinson said.  “If we have any hope of ending this ongoing tragedy, we have to work closely with the people who are confronting the problems on the street every day.”

 

The action group will provide strategic advice to the province as it develops new policies to address the crisis of abused and exploited women in Manitoba, Robinson said.  It will also support the work of the recently announced Manitoba Integrated Task Force for Missing and Murdered Women.

 

“We look forward to working with the action group,” said Merle Green, executive director of Mother of Red Nations.  “We are optimistic that the action group will offer meaningful and significant advice that will help the province create policies that make life safer for all women.”

 

The action group is among the first of its kind in Canada and fulfils a key recommendation of the 2004 Amnesty International Stolen Sisters report, which calls for high level co-operation between governments and indigenous women.

 

Anyone with information about exploited or abused women or any other unsolved crime is encouraged to contact Winnipeg Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477) or go to www.winnipegcrimestoppers.org.  There is no 24-hour waiting period to report a person as missing.  If there is some indication of foul play, contact police immediately at 9-1-1.

 

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