I would also like to highlight some things....

The speaker stressed that one should not blame and shame the man about the abuse, this will only make the situation more volatile.  She also said that men respond better to other men on this subject.  In the link above there is a section on Talking to Abusive Men and if you know someone and want to talk to them you should read that section.

The greatest gift you can give to an abused woman is to ask her if you suspect abuse, listen to her when she speaks and tell her you believe her.  The woman has been conditioned to think no one cares, no one will listen and no one will act.  Showing her that you do, will be the first step on the road to freedom.

A sad commentary on rural living is that, at least in Muskoka and I suspect elsewhere, hunting season is when the most calls and admissions occur at the shelter.  Apparently this is when the women feel safe to leave as their partners and their guns are out in the bush for three or four days.

The shelter is also seeing an increase in teenage women fleeing, not just abuse in their homes, but from boyfriends.  That the victims are becoming younger should be a concern for us all.

One of the reasons the push is on to make this a community effort is that the damage to children in these situations is high.  Research is showing that children living in abusive homes exhibit behaviours similar to children living in war zones, including post traumatic stress and cognitive damage.

If we want peace in our world, we need peace in our neighbourhoods.

LB

However many holy words you read, However many you speak,What good will they do you, If you do not act on upon them?     Buddha

I'm glad Ontario is launching this campaign and I hope others in other parts of Canada will look at the website. We had a bunch of these pamphlets available to distribute earlier this year for an education seminar at the libraries in London.

I don't think most people realize how difficult it is for most of these women to leave. If you have an abusive family and then go to an abusive boyfriend, if being berated is all you have ever known, it's a lot easier to think you deserve it than to try to master your scattered resources to try to get out and make it on your own when you've been told all your life you amount to nothing. Finances are usually a problem as well.

I believe that boys should be raised with the idea that "Real Men don't hurt" That is - that domestic nonviolence should be connected to the idea of manhood (sexual identity).

I do not believe in being the least bit comforting or symapthetic to an abuser. Society must be consistant in their repugnance of family violence.

In my experience, family violence is no less damaging to a child than incest.

I don't think most people realize how difficult it is for most of these women to leave.

I still don't get it myself especially when they are just dating and the relationship is a few months old

I don't think people understand how much families and friends try to get involved only to have the victim call you jealous and meddling, victims are not to blame but seriously how much do they think everyone around them can take ?

When are we going to teach women how to be independant and how not to wrap their entire consciousness around the first guy that comes around.

Not everyone comes from an abusive home or poverty or some other social ailment

Ya gotta get a thick skin. I've survived violence and death threats but I will still intercede or shelter an abused family anytime. I'm doing it now.

Been called every name in the book too. What - you want it to be easy and inexpensive with guaranteed rewards too?

Life would be boring and every jerk would be an altruist.