News Releases

News Release - Manitoba

November 20, 2017

Province Strengthens Focus on Family Violence Prevention



The Manitoba government is strengthening its fight against family violence, Families Minister Scott Fielding and Sustainable Development Minister Rochelle Squires, minister responsible for the status of women, announced today.

The ministers advised the Family Violence Prevention Program (FVPP) will transition to the Status of Women Secretariat from the Department of Families and Squires will chair a new ministerial committee mandated to co-ordinate a government-wide approach to ending gender-based violence.

“In 2015, Manitoba had the second-highest rate of police-reported intimate partner violence in Canada at almost twice the national rate,” said Fielding.  “Aligning these areas will strengthen the comprehensive network of supports and services available to families across the province.  The secretariat plays a lead role in developing government policies to address gender-based violence and we want to leverage that expertise to give this program greater attention.”

FVPP provides funding to 33 community-based agencies including emergency shelters, residential second-stage housing, women’s resource centres and specialized programming for women, men and children affected by family violence, as well as a 24-hour crisis line.

“Given my strong personal commitment to eradicating gender-based violence, I’m honoured to lead this program and bring together all of these initiatives,” said Squires.  “I look forward to building on the collaborative work we have already established across government and continue to offer a co-ordinated, efficient slate of services.”

The Status of Women Secretariat is mandated to work across departments and currently chairs an inter-departmental committee on gender-based violence with representatives from the departments of Justice; Health, Seniors and Active Living; Families; Education and Training; and Indigenous and Northern Relations.  It also co-chairs the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Task Team on Violence against Women.

The secretariat operates the provincial web site www.gov.mb.ca/stoptheviolence/index.html and oversees the Manitoba Women’s Advisory Council (MWAC), with membership from communities across the province to represent women’s issues and concerns.  Each year, the secretariat and MWAC are involved in public awareness initiatives, such as the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence during Domestic Violence Prevention Month in November and the Dec. 6 sunrise memorial for the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women.

The province will ensure community-based agencies and service providers remain supported during the transition with minimal disruption, the ministers said.  More information about FVPP is available at www.gov.mb.ca/fs/fvpp.

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