The "Be More Than a Bystander" project focused on breaking the silence on violence against women was launched July 7 at the B.C. Lions training facility in Surrey.
The program aims to break the silence surrounding violence against women and girls by providing tools, language and practical ideas about how to be more than a bystander, how to speak up and how to not allow violence and abuse to continue.
Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, and Mary McNeil, B.C.'s Minister of Children and Family Development, in association with Wally Buono, general manager and head coach of the Lions and Tracy Porteous, executive director of Ending Violence Association of B.C. (EVA BC), the project's lead organization were all on hand to make the announcement.
"Our government is proud to support projects that call on all Canadians - women and men, girls and boys - to work collaboratively to end all forms of violence against women," said Ambrose. "That is why we are pleased to be working with organizations like EVA BC and the BC Lions, who are committed to making a direct impact on the lives of girls and women."
EVA BC and the Lions teamed up to create this groundbreaking three-year project aimed at helping people understand that everyone has a role in breaking the silence that surrounds violence against women. With support from the Government of Canada and B.C.'s Ministry of Children and Family Development, the two organizations will work together to develop and deliver a series of interactive workshops, training activities and a film and viewer's guide directed at youth.
This comprehensive project features professional athletes from the Lions appearing in radio and TV public service announcements, in the stadium on the big screen and in the game day program during Lions home games. And, over the next two years, players will be visiting 40 high schools and talking to students in grades 8 to 12 about healthy, respectful relationships and how to be more than a bystander. Workshop materials on how to talk to youth about these topics will also be created for coaches of amateur football teams.
"Violence against women is not just a women's issue, because men commit the vast majority of violence against women in society. It is also a men's issue and men need to get involved," said Buono.
A legacy educational film will also be developed and distributed to schools in the final year, coinciding with a province-wide symposium to review the progress made thus far and to consider next steps in the movement to stop violence against women and girls.
The Government of Canada provided $541,900 in funding and the Ministry of
Children and Family Development provided $320,000 in support of the project.
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