Province announces long-term plan to stop violence against women
Posted February 6, 2015 12:06 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SURREY (NEWS1130) – A new strategy announced today in Surrey aims to raise awareness of violence against women.
The plan pledges $3 million in 2015 for local anti-violence support services, the opening of a newly integrated Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) and an upcoming campaign.
“Violence against women is not a women’s issue – it’s an issue for all of us in British Columbia,” says Premier Christy Clark. “The Violence Free BC strategy is our roadmap to creating a province where each of us does our part, working together, to keep women safe from harm.”
The plan combines immediate actions with a long-term vision, and identifies five key priorities for moving toward a violence-free BC over the next decade.
These include:
- Challenging beliefs and behaviours
- Ensuring services are responsive, innovative and co-ordinated
- Supporting women to rebuild their lives
- Addressing violence against Aboriginal women
- Fostering strong relationships and new partnerships
The Surrey DVU is the sixth of its kind in British Columbia, and brings together, in one location, Surrey RCMP police investigators, community-based victim services, and a Ministry of Children and Family Development child protection worker to co-ordinate and collaborate on the highest-risk domestic violence cases.