YELLOWKNIFE (October 6, 2014) – Premier Bob McLeod, as Minister Responsible for Women, will launch Family Violence Awareness Week today at a ceremony at the Salvation Army in Yellowknife. The theme of this year’s Family Violence Awareness Week is “Family violence is everyone’s business. What will you do?”

“We all have a role in preventing and responding to abuse in our communities,” said Premier McLeod as he commemorated October 5-11, 2014 as Family Violence Awareness Week in the Northwest Territories (NWT).  “It is difficult to talk about family violence but if we remain silent, we are condoning that violence and allowing it to continue.”

Family violence is a serious problem that affects all Northerners. Rates of reported family violence in the NWT are four times the national average. It affects all communities and creates health, social and economic problems for families.

Women in the NWT often rely on informal sources of support to cope with violence. Regardless of the type of abuse, female victims in the territories most often turn to family members, friends or neighbours for support or guidance according to a 2013 Statistics Canada survey.

Premier McLeod said, “People who use violence in their relationships, whether it is physical or emotional abuse are making a choice to behave that way. Blaming the victim, blaming alcohol or other factors for family violence prevents abusers from taking responsibility for their own actions and from getting help.”

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) offers several options for people wanting to address their violent behaviours, including the NWT Help Line, community counseling programs and a men’s healing program.  The GNWT also works in close partnership with the Coalition Against Family Violence (CAFV).  The CAFV is a territorial interagency group that brings together non-government and government agencies to share information and undertake projects that work to reduce the incidence of family violence in the NWT.

For more information on Family Violence Awareness Week, contact the Status of Women Council of the NWT at 1-888-234-4485.

Media inquiries:

Brenda Norris
Media Liaison
Government of the Northwest Territories
Tel: 867-669-2302
Email: brenda_norris@gov.nt.ca