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Education Wife Assault: A Profile The HistoryTwenty years ago, a group of abused women sat down around a kitchen table and agreed that something had to be done about violence against women. They weren't
thinking of violence against women at the hands of strangers, but about women who are abused in the privacy of their very own homes and at the hands of a person they know and love - their intimate partners. They were
concerned about the serious lack of support, information and understanding from their community and decided to work on educating the public about woman abuse. This group evolved into today's organization, Education Wife
Assault (EWA), the only organization in Canada whose sole focus is to prevent violence against women through education of children, teens, women and men. The Facts Such abuse and assault of women is a
devastating, dangerous and frighteningly common reality in Canada:
- One-half of all Canadian women have experienced at least one incident of violence since the age of 16 (Statistics Canada, 1993);
- Danger to women is greater from the men they know one half of Canadian women were abused and violated by men known to them (ibid);
- 61% of women who were physically or sexually assaulted by their partners were injured in the attack (ibid);
- Married women are nine times more likely to be killed by their spouses than by a stranger (Statistics Canada, 1994);
- Victims of partner abuse are more likely to experience depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress, and to be admitted to psychiatric hospitals (Carlisle, 1990);
- They are 3-5 times more likely to have addictions to alcohol or prescription drugs (Noel & Yam, 1992);
- They are more likely to be homeless and/or to live in poverty;
Children witness the violence in 40% of homes where a woman is being abused by her partner. These children:
- Suffer intense emotional injury that deeply affects their adjustment, learned behaviour and security in the world;
- Have considerably more serious behavioural problems than other children 17 times more for boys and 10 times more for girls (Wolfe, 1985);
- Are considerably less successful in school, participate less in organized sports and activities, and are less socially involved than their peers (ibid).
The Cost The economic costs of woman abuse are enormous, with longterm burdens on social services such as shelters, child care, family benefits, law enforcement, legal aid and health care. The
financial burden amounts to over $4 billion a year in Canada (Centre for Research on Violence against Women and Children, 1995). The Answer Stop the suffering of abused women and their children,
the loss of human potential, the deep emotional and/or physical damage, the loss of lives, the tremendous social and economic cost to us all by preventing abuse before it starts. The Method
- Provide information to assaulted women, abusive men, and friends and family who want to help;
- Develop the awareness and intervention skills
of community members and service providers through workshops and training programs;
- Develop educational materials
(brochures, pamphlets, books, manuals, posters, etc.);
- Educate
young men and women to be able to build healthy, respectful relationships;
- Distribute publications
across Canada;
- Maintain and constantly expand an accessible Resource Centre;
- Maintain and frequently update a website:
http://www.womanabuseprevention.com
Provide referrals to services and groups working to end violence;
Consult with groups who want to develop their own materials, training programs and workshops.
The Location EWA works nationally to prevent woman abuse. Persons from throughout Canada order publications by phone, fax and e-mail, access our Website, visit our Resource Centre and receive
consultations and referrals. Workshops and training programs are offered province-wide in Ontario. You can help prevent woman abuse by sending a donation to: Education Wife Assault
427 Bloor Street West - Box 7
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5S 1X7
Phone: (416) 968-3422
TTY: (416) 968-7335
Fax: (416) 968-2026
Email:
info@womanabuseprevention.com
Website: www.womanabuseprevention.comOr
make a donation on-line in a secure payment server! |
