Sudbury Police, N'Swakamok project to address violence against women
Greater Sudbury Police, N'Swakamok centre to come up with strategies to tackle community violence
Members of the Greater Sudbury police and those from the N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre have formed a committee to reduce violence against Aboriginal girls and women.
The project, called "Looking ahead to build the Spirit of our Women - Learning to live free from Violence," is looking to hire a full-time co-ordinator to be a liaison between the police and the Friendship Centre, and to come up with strategies to help address the issue.
The committee received about $166,000 from the Department of Justice Canada — to be used in three years — to fund the co-ordinator position.
The co-chair of the committee who helped develop the project said working with the police on this issue is very important.
"We look at collaboration, we look at partnerships and that's a way to get everyone on board to help address violence in our community," said Lisa Osawamick.
"Working together with Greater Sudbury Police is just strengthening our approach as a community."
The project has been in the works for 1.5 years.
'Helping and learning'
The committee was formed when police chief Paul Pedersen asked the N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre to host a forum to discuss the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women.
"We can see the discussion that's going around nationally. It's not lost on us here in Sudbury," Pedersen said.
Pedersen said he hopes the collaboration will help police educate themselves on how to deal with the issues.
"Our goal is to not have any missing persons in the first place. And if we don't have any missing persons, then we reduce the chances of having murdered indigenous women as well," he said.
"For us, it really is a strategy that moves forward together. Our goal for the police service is as much about helping as it is about learning."