Family Violence Prevention Week 2016 begins on Valentine’s Day, Sunday February 14th – a perfect day to celebrate the value of healthy relationships.
Premier Wade MacLauchlan declared the week of Sunday, February 14th to Saturday, February 20th as Prince Edward Island’s Family Violence Prevention Week 2016. The week is an opportunity to engage Islanders in discussions about the issue and to show that violence in any relationship is not acceptable.
“Everyone in Prince Edward Island deserves to live in a society where all people are safe, respected and valued,” said MacLauchlan. “ This year the theme of the week is family, friends and neighbors and I urge everyone to learn what to do when they see warning signs of family violence; at home, at work or in the neighborhood.”
Islanders are encouraged to show their support by taking part in one or more of the many events and activities taking place across the province between February 14th and 20th to celebrate healthy relationships and promote family violence awareness.
The 7th annual Walk in Silence for Victims of Family Violence starts at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, February 17th at Province House. The walk is open to everyone and it will wrap up at City Hall with a reception sponsored by the Mayor’s Purple Ribbon Task Force with support from the Premier’s Action Committee on Family Violence Prevention.
“Islanders today are more likely to seek help when faced with family violence than they used to be,” said Premier’s Action Committee on Family Violence Prevention Chair Ann Sherman. “More people are open to discussing family violence, but there is still work to be done to prevent violence from happening in the first place. That is why the recently released updated Premier’s Action Committee strategy focuses on prevention, public engagement and education, as well as services.”
Wednesday, February 17th is Wear Purple Day across Prince Edward Island and everyone is encouraged to wear purple to take a stand against family violence and share your photos on Facebook or Twitter.
“Social Media is a great place to start the conversation about healthy relationships,” said Family and Human Services Minister Tina Mundy. “Family violence is a societal problem. It affects us all and we have a collective responsibility to reduce children’s exposure to violence in their homes, teach young people about respectful and healthy relations, and work to get everyone engaged in the discussion.”
For a complete list of Family Violence Prevention Week activities, visit http://stopfamilyviolence.pe.ca/2016events