(Canada)Federal program seeks to reduce sexual violence

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The federal government has allotted nearly $355,000 to help reduce sexual violence, in part by promoting self-esteem and "solid values" among Quebec girls.

The latest grant announced by Helena Guergis, minister of state for the status of women, is for a $144,361, three-year project in the Matane region "targeting the hypersexualization of girls as a root cause of dating violence."

Spokespeople for the minister and her department said yesterday it is wrong to put a "blame-the-victim" interpretation on the projects. Boys are intended to learn a few things too.

The project description says 15 girls in the Matane area, about 400 kilometres northeast of Quebec City, will be trained to act as community outreach workers and agents of change in their schools and communities. As well, more than 1,000 youths, including 350 boys, "will become better equipped to combat violence in their romantic relationships."

The grant Guergis announced Thursday is dated Jan. 13 on the grant disclosure website of her department. That was followed in February by a separate three-year grant of $210,588 for an almost identical project in the Lanaudière region, about 40 kilometres east of Quebec City.

Sherine Mansour, director of communications for Guergis, said the Quebec government also approved nearly $81,000 for the Matane project and the province is a leader in addressing hypersexualization.

The project includes workshops, mentoring programs and awareness programs.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Project+targets+hypersexualization+Quebec/1802998/story.html