9-Mar-2010
Rose Campaign Celebrates International Women's Day with advocacy videos on violence against women and an action message to MPs

Toronto – The nation's largest provider of emergency shelter for women celebrates International Women's Day today with the launch of the YWCA Canada YouTube channel, featuring videos from women advocates who have lived through violence. Last November, nine women travelled to Ottawa with YWCA Canada to meet with Members of Parliament and press for action on violence against women. Living Beyond Shelter: Videos for Change captures their issues, ideas and demands on film. The first videos, released today, will be shown tomorrow at the parallel sessions to the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

"These incredible advocates know from experience what women need – access to shelter, a legal system that works for women, safe, affordable housing, a secure income and childcare to support their ability to work," says Paulette Senior, CEO of YWCA Canada. "Every woman in Canada has the right to live safely in her community. Yet each year, violence and abuse drive over 100,000 women and children out of their homes and into shelters."

"On International Women's Day, our message is that no woman leaving shelter should face a choice between living in poverty or returning to abuse," says Ann Decter, YWCA Canada's Director of Advocacy. "All women in Canada who need access to shelter must have it, and our Canada includes women with disabilities, women in the northern territories, women from our many ethno-cultural and linguistic communities, and women living in rural areas. Access to shelter is access to safety."

Senior calls on the government to listen to the wisdom of violence survivors and of the Violence Against Women service sector. "We know what's needed. We know the costs of violence are enormous – over $4 billion a year according to the government. It's time for coordinated policies for change."

Last fall, YWCA Canada released Life Beyond Shelter, with comprehensive policy recommendations to alleviate the barriers women face as they courageously seek to move beyond violence. This substantive report calls for implementation of coordinated policies at all three levels of government and across parallel jurisdictions.

View the Living Beyond Shelter videos on YWCA Canada’s YouTube channel.

Download the Life Beyond Shelter report.

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For further information on YWCA Canada, the Rose Campaign or to set up an interview with Paulette Senior, CEO of YWCA Canada or Ann Decter, Director of Advocacy & Public Policy, contact Laura Tilley, Communications & Marketing Manager at 416.962.8881 x 233.

YWCA Canada extends sincere thanks to our project partner DAWN Canada, and to the Canadian Women’s Foundation for its financial support.

About YWCA Canada:

YWCA Canada is the country's oldest largest women's multi-service organization. With 33 Member Associations operating in more than 400 districts and communities across the country, our Turning Point Programs for Women™ - which address personal safety, economic security and well-being – reach out to 1 million women and girls in nine provinces and one territory. YWCA is the largest national provider of shelter to women, serving 20,000 women, children and teen girls including 6,000 fleeing domestic violence each year. We are the largest provider of literacy, life skills, employment and counselling programs in the country, and the second largest provider of childcare services. YWCA Canada is a member association of the World YWCA which unites 25 million women and girls worldwide and spans 125 countries. For more information about YWCA Canada and our Member Associations, visit www.ywcacanada.ca