Sudbury, ON – Family violence and gender-based violence are serious public health issues that are strongly linked to mental health concerns and can have long-lasting consequences for survivors and for those around them. These issues touch families in all parts of Canada, and include many different forms of physical, verbal and emotional abuse and neglect.

Today, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, joined by Viviane Lapointe Member of Parliament for Sudbury, announced $589,340 in funding over four years to support the Sudbury YWCA Building Opportunities for Women (BOW) program which aims to support the mental and physical well-being of women experiencing, or who may be at risk of experiencing family and gender-based violence.

This 12-week trauma-informed program offers facilitated workshops to women aged 16 and over in which they can explore the roots of gender-based violence, address their own self-esteem and vulnerabilities, and identify their future education and training needs. The BOW program also helps participants meet new people, be exposed to relevant and exciting learning opportunities and achieve greater financial and social stability in their lives.

Viviane Lapointe welcomed today’s announcement, and the impact it will have on the Sudbury community. “As a leading voice for women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender diverse people, YWCA Sudbury is well-positioned to deliver this meaningful initiative for survivors, and those experiencing family and gender-based violence in our community.  Today’s investment comes at a crucial time and is a vital step in the right direction to help prevent family and gender-based violence, while supporting mental and physical well-being,” says MP Lapointe.

Today’s announcement concluded Minister Bennett’s visit to Sudbury. Over the course of two days, including International Overdose Awareness Day, Minister Bennett accompanied MP Lapointe and MP Serré to hear from various stakeholders within the community.

In honour of International Overdose Awareness Day, the Minister and MP toured SACY (Sudbury Action Centre for Youth), the new Supervised Consumption Site located at 24 Energy Crt., followed by an emotional visit to the Crosses for Change and met with founder Denise Sandul. The afternoon consisted of a roundtable with various stakeholders and care providers to discuss mental health and addictions in Sudbury, and a meeting with Workplace Safety North to discuss their work on implementing National Workplace Safety Standards.

Quick Facts

• One third of Canadian adult’s report having experienced maltreatment as a child.

• Family violence affects future relationships and future generations: children who have been abused, neglected, or exposed to intimate partner violence are at risk of experiencing or perpetrating violence in adulthood.

• The Survey of COVID and Mental Health indicates risk factors for child maltreatment and family violence have increased. Risk factors include depression, parental stress and alcohol consumption. Additionally, five percent of Canadians reported concerns about violence in their homes during the third wave of the pandemic, between February and May 2021.