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1iS-The Canadian Champion, Friday, April 11, 2003 -Zn=- Domestic violence issues a ddress.edai police foîruimi 2003 ALTI MA $299 ps«moMth Isus fS 411 mothes M IMam 2002 C.4NADL4N CAR 0F IWE VEAR St62 BESTNEWFAA ILY'CdR 2002 SESTNEW DSIGN 2003 XTERRA ~39OsrmItItsefrtsXIttOfXIE CHOOSE vousPAYMENT (48 FMONTS LAsE) Î155 s t $422/M05Téi 2003 MAXIMA MaiaGXE milh Astomeatie $399per oM lan , r48 monthm mita, $ZsN dloms: BY ROBB swYBROUS pecialta TheCMpon Bnidgmng the gap between police servic- es and civiian professionals who work in the family violence field is an important key to reducing incidents of domestic abuse acrosa the country. That idea was a key to the message idelivered last week at Burlington's Holiday Inn during the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police National Forum on Family Violence, co-hosted by Halton and Waterloo regional police services. The two-day forum that took place April 3 and 4, saw police and civilian profes- sionals from across Canada meet to discuss how best to combat domestic violence. Halton Regional Police Chief Fan Algar was impressed with information shared at the conference and was particularly encossraged by the civilian participants who indicated a need and willingness to work with police to deal with the problemn tome cali an epidenijc "Going outside of the police role we learn (other groupas) responses, how (domestic violence) affecta their organiza- tions and how we can better interact with each other,' Chief Algar said. "Wsth a con- ference of this nature you leamn there are other opportunities out there... if we can learu from each other thats what its about. " Civilian participants included profes- sionals from the fields of social work, edu- cation and health care. Much of the forum was held behind close doors. Topics discussed included a statistical review of family violence in Canada, risk- asseasment tools, fanuly violence in abo- riginal communities and the affect of fam- ily violence on children. Deborals Sinclair, a Toronto-based social worker, attended the conference and felt hier concema were heard. Car seat clinic tomorrow frences Vve been to in a long time," said Ms Sinclair, whose been in social work for three decades. "We had the voices of young people here, of aboriginal people and certainly of womnen." Ms Sinclair said while confrences like ast week's work to dentify the issues, front-line workers - like her and police officers who invesigate family violence - need to work even harder to deal witls farn- ily violence. "t think is (faily violence) an epidemn- ic. f ail the work I do this is Ue toughest are," she said. I think we've only touched Ue tip of Ue iceberg in terms of creating safe communities, ones where survivors can really speak out." Statistically, family violence across Canada continues to be a concem. According to the General Social Survey on Victimization (GSS), a 1999 Statistics Canada study, roughly 8 per cent of women and 7 per cent of men in Canada reported experiencing at lest one incident of violence by a current or previous partner during Ue five-year period prior to Ue sur- vey. And while occurrence rates for men and women aren't overly lopsided (8 per cent of womnen represents about 690,000 people, while Use 7 per cent of men works out to about 549,000 people), types of violence based on gender are quie diffrent. Acording to GSS, women are more likely Usan men to experience more severe forma of violence. Women are more Usan twice as likely to report being beaten, five timea more likely to be clsoked and twice as liely to have a gun or knife used against Usem. Based on Ue Statistica Canada Homicide Survey between 1991 and 1999, homicides invoving intimate partners accounted for 27 per cent of al murders (a total of 1,056 people were killed by intimate partners If you knew Usere was something simple you could to reduce Use likelihood of your child being injured or killed in a car acci- dent, would you do it? 0f course you would. Yet in Canada, four out of every five children aren't prop- erty restrained in Ueir car seats - some- Uing Usat increases Use chance of injury or deaUs in a velicle collision by 75 percent. Halton Partners for Car Seat Safety and Milton ChryslerDodgeJeep want to equip parents wiUs much-nceded information to help them protect their children. Tomorrow, Use groupa will celebrate 'Love Me, Buck]e me Right Day' wiUs a free car seat clinic at Milton Chrysler-DodgeJcep, 81 Ontario St. N. The clinic will mun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Common car seat installation mistalçes include improper use of Use teUser strap, failure to use locking clips on seat belts and ur bu- -1sa e. 4242, ext 7877, IF I(905) 827-9833. YO C uElVe ie n.u-a8n ,-0 n. wwà rmrmT 000/ W-. Black Garden Son sf051, ri 'Î in Buk Bffrght to yurhm. ,ti d ,],,' 237 Roal indor riv, Okvlle penMon to F17ti8Set -S tii 4/ CIosedSu ltb simple:- you catil - iwse deliver, even if you're flot home.X Dsmng Use car seat clinic, trained inspec- tors will be on hand to check car seat installations and provide car seat safety education to parents and caregivers of young children. Participants should bring Useir child, Use car seat manufactureras instructions and Useir vehicle owner's man- ual. Each safty assesament will take about 20 minutes. Halton Partners for Car Seat Safety include: Milton Road Safety Committee, The Co-operators, Halton Hilîs Pire Department, Halton Regional Police Services, Ontario Provincial Police, Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, Infant and Toddler Safety Association, and Use Region of Halton. For more information on 'Love Me, Buckle Me Right Day', caîl Halton - -- 1