Neighbours, Friends and Families

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Neighbours, Friends and Families

• Community
• LeadersPresentation

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Death Review Committee Findings 2003

• in every case review we examined, family
  members, neighbours, and/or professionals had
  some knowledge of the escalating circumstance
  between perpetrators and victims.

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Death Review Committee Findings 2003

• the importance of public education and thereby
  better informed friends, relatives and neighbours
  seems essential as a first line of defense in
  domestic homicide prevention.

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Death Review Committee Findings2004

• public education programs need to be increased
  to heighten awareness of the warning signs of
  symptomatic abusive behaviour and appropriate
  courses of action for victims, perpetrators and
  others to take in response

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Death Review Committee Findings2004

• in response to high risk cases, friends,
  neighbours, family and coworkers have an
  essential role to play as part of a wider
  coordinated community response.

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Death Review Committee Findings2005

• the greatest need continues to be educating all
  members of the community about the warning signs
  of domestic violence and the appropriate action
  necessary to prevent itOne example of how to
  raise the awareness about the warning signs of
  woman abuse as well as safety planning and risk
  reduction strategies is the Neighbours, Friends
  and Families Campaign.

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Neighbours, Friends and Families

• Neighbours, Friends and Families is a campaign to
  raise awareness of the signs of woman abuse so
  that people who are close to an at-risk woman or
  abusive man can help

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Neighbours, Friends and Families

• The campaign is a partnership between the Ontario
  Government, Ontario Womens Directorate and the
  Expert Panel on Neighbours, Friends and Families,
  through the Centre for Research and Education on
  Violence Against Women and Children

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Neighbours, Friends and Families

• Since the campaign launch in June 2006, a growing
  number of people have become NFF champions in
  their communities

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• Neighbours, Friends and Families
• The long-term vision of the NFF campaign is that
  communities all across the province will
  implement the campaign and become champions for
  women who are abused.

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Neighbours, Friends and Families

• Being a champion means learning to recognize the
  signs of woman abuse and knowing what to do when
  you see it happening
• It also means telling your colleagues,
  neighbours, friends and family about the campaign

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Neighbours, Friends and Families

• The intent of the campaign is to influence a
  change in attitudes about woman abuse so that the
  whole community recognizes it has a role to play
  in ending violence against women

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• Domestic violence is everybodys business.
  Sandra Pupatello, Minister Responsible for
  Womens Issues

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Overview of Materials for the Neighbours, Friends
and FamiliesCampaign
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Neighbours, Friends and Families

• The NFF Campaign is adaptable not based on a
  one size fits all solution. Each community must
  decide how best to use the materials in their
  unique local situations
• Neighbours, Friends and Families
• Voisins, amis et familles
• Kanawayhitowin
• Also available are suggestions for working
  inclusively in diverse communities

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Documentary
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Public Service Announcements
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Website

• www.neighboursfriendsandfamilies.on.ca

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Brochures Safety Cards

• English  French  Vietmanese
• Chinese Simplified Chinese Traditional Farsi
  Punjabi Perso Arabic
• Punjabi Gurmukhi Arabic Spanish Somali Korean
  Tamil Russian       

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Neighbours, Friends and Families

• Three goals of the campaign are to help
  neighbours, friends and family members
• Recognize the warning signs of woman abuse
• Learn how to support abuse women and other
  affected by abuse
• Know resources available in the community and
  what those services offer

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Know your Community

• Identify what community you wish to reach out to
• An area or neighbourhood you live
• A social club or cultural association you belong
  to
• A faith community you are associated with
• Athletic club or sports association

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Start with who you know Identify the people and
groups you would like to introduce to NFF
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Using the Kit

• The material is designed to provide accurate
  woman abuse information to members of your
  community
• Bring your identified community together and
  structure your meeting to meet the needs of the
  group
• Acknowledge the strengths of your community to
  take on the issue of woman abuse by identifying
  and enlisting leaders to assist in getting the
  word out

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Using the Kit

• Identify the best forum suited to the group your
  are working with
• Formal presentation
• Workshop
• Public forum
• Small conversation circle

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Using the Kit

• Enlist the help of local service providers for
  information packages or representative to present
  on the service they provide to your community
• Use local formal and informal networks to
  advertise your forum communication news letter,
  bulletin, community bulletin boards

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Using the Kit

• The goal for your meeting
• Create a supportive environment
• Get to know your group
• Learn about woman abuse and the role community
  members can play in supporting women
• Build a support system so the community know what
  to do

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Using the Kit

• Make the process inclusive as possible
• Reach out to members of your community that are
  familiar with the issue
• Consider the size of your group and the kinds of
  logistical support you will need
• Keep is simple and to the point

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Using the Kit

• Suggested focused topics to talk about
• What is woman abuse?
• Identify the types of abuse women experience
• Identify warning sign people might be witness to
• Discuss what safety plans consist of
• Discuss the effect of witnessing abuse on
  children
• Identify what neighbours, friends and families
  can do to support a women

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Using the Kit

• Follow up have suggested activities for your
  group to participate in once the presentation is
  over
• Support other local initiatives that might be
  organized over the year (e.g. International
  Womens Day)
• Create a information distribution list of those
  who have attended to network information
• Support local organizations working to end woman
  abuse

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Suggestions and Cautions

• Dos
• Suggest a theme or topic for the meeting
• Stay on time and schedule
• Be respectful and inclusive of everyone present
• Make sure everyone is heard

• Don'ts
• Accept disrespectful, shaming or blaming words
  and actions
• Dont be a therapist or counselor, know the
  resources for supporting your group
• Dont be afraid to say you dont know an answer

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Overcoming your Hesitation to Help
Points of Concern You feel its none of your
business You dont know what to say
Points to Consider It may be a matter of life
and death. Violence is everyones business Saying
you care and are concerned is a good start
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Overcoming your Hesitation to Help
Points of Concern You might make things
worse Its not serious enough to involve the
police
Points to Consider Doing nothing could make
things worse Police are trained to respond and
to use other resources
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Overcoming your Hesitation to Help
Points of Concern You are afraid his violence
with turn against you and your family You think
she really doesnt want to leave because she
keeps coming back
Points to Consider Speak to her alone. Let the
police know if you receive threats She may not
have had the support she needed
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Overcoming your Hesitation to Help
Points of Concern You are afraid she will become
angry with you You feel that both partners are
your friends
Points to Consider Maybe, but she will know you
care One friend is being abused and lives in
fear
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Overcoming your Hesitation to Help
Points of Concern You believe that if she wanted
help she would ask for it You think it is a
private matter
Points to Consider She may be too afraid or
ashamed to ask for it It isnt when someone is
being hurt
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The Neighbours, Friends and Families Campaign

• Most Ontarians feel a personal responsibility for
  reducing woman abuse...recognizing it is the
  first step
• Take the warning signs seriously