Forum highlights early identification of woman abuse

 

NEWMARKET – York Region Health Services invites the media to profile a forum which has been developed to train health care providers to identify any past or present abuse experienced by a woman. 

 

 

WHEN:  Monday, May 2, 2005

                        8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 

AGENDA:          9:00 – 9:15 a.m.            Welcome/Opening Remarks

                        9:15 – 10:30 a.m.          Keynote Speaker – The Honourable Marion Boyd

                        11:00 – 12:00 noon        Keynote Speaker – The Honourable Marion Boyd

                        1:00 – 2:15 p.m.            Community Partner Panellists

                        2:15 – 2:45 p.m.            Guest Speaker – Janet Menezes

 

WHERE:            York Catholic District School Board

                        320 Bloomington Road West, Room 100

                        Aurora

 

WHO:               The day of the forum will feature presentations by experts on domestic violence

and woman abuse as well as a guest speaker, who will share her personal story as

a survivor of woman abuse.

 

Presenters:

 

·       The Honourable Marion Boyd – Chair & Coordinator of the Task Force on the Health

                                                         Effects of Woman Abuse

·       Guest speaker – Janet Menezes, a survivor of woman abuse

 

Panellists:

 

·      Yellow Brick House – Paulette Senior

·      York Region Children's Aid Society – Melodie Smith        

·      York Regional Police, Domestic Violence Unit – Detective Wendy Heaver

·      Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Care – Linda Reimer

·      Women's Support Network of York Region - Alys Murphy

·      Crown Attorney's Office - LeeAnne McCallum

·      Punjabi Community Health Centre, Region of Peel – Baldev Mutta

·      Victim Services of York Region Inc. - Gillian Freeman

·       Women's Centre of York Region - Jo Gomes

 

The goal of the forum is to raise awareness in identifying woman abuse and community resources available in York Region to assist women and their families in immediate need.  Health professionals and community agency representatives from across York Region have been invited to attend the forum.

 

York Region Health Services is committed to decreasing the incidence and prevalence of woman abuse. Domestic violence often begins or escalates during pregnancy.  It not only presents an immediate danger to the lives of the infant and mother, it can threaten the long-term health of the entire family.  Violence has a detrimental effect on the social, emotional and cognitive development of children. It has been shown that children from violent homes are more prone to become the target of abuse themselves, which can further perpetuate violence in future relationships.

 

For more information about Early Child Development or any other health-related topic contact York Region Health Services Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653 (toll free) or visit www.york.ca.

 

 

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Contact:            Rajesh Khetarpal, York Region Health Services

(905) 830-4444 or 1-877-464-9675, ext. 4063

Email: rajesh.khetarpal@york.ca