Media Advisory - Forum to address the issue of woman abuse and child safety

TORONTO, March 5 /CNW/ - "Critical Connections: Where Woman Abuse and Child Safety Intersect", presented by the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies and partners, will raise awareness and educate participants on the issue of woman abuse, its impact on children and ways to work with women experiencing violence.

Why it is important for Ontarians?

    
    -  The symposium raises awareness that woman abuse is an issue and that
       people can do something about it. The number of cases of women abuse
       and children exposed to abuse must decrease.
    -  People need to talk about it so this symposium is about what friends,
       neighbours and employers can do.
    -  Women victims of violence need to be informed about the resources
       available.
    -  Children should have safety, women should have support and partners
       should have access to change. Every family should be a safe family.
    

How did this come about?

Over the last six years, the Office of the Chief Coroner Domestic Violence Death Review Committee Report shows that 95% of victims are women and the number of child victims is increasing.

    
    -  23 child deaths in 166 cases of domestic violence homicides between
       2002 and 2007.
    -  31 percent increase in substantiated reports of child abuse with
       exposure to domestic violence between 1993 and 2003
    -  Children exposed to domestic violence account for 47% of the total
       cases referred to Children's Aid Societies.
    -  Almost 1 in 10 women are physically abused by an intimate partner in
       any given year.
    -  1/3 of Canadian women report some form of physical or mental abuse in
       their lifetime.

    When:    March 9 & 10, 2010

    Where:   Doubletree by Hilton, 655 Dixon Road, Toronto

    Who:     More than 600 attendees are expected to attend 20 workshops and
             4 plenary sessions. Organizers will be available for interviews.
    

Media are invited to attend plenary sessions but require accreditation prior to the event.

For further information: on the forum visit http://www.oacas.org/criticalconnections; For registration or accreditation, contact: Marie-Lauren Gregoire, OACAS, [phone] or [phone] (cell).