Crimesense Magazine - Summer 2012 - Peel/Halton

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FUN

Crimesense Word Search Reader Nicole Foucault sent us this wonderful word search to share with you.

See if you can find the answer.

H A Z A R D S T Y T E F A S

E O W A T C H K O O L N N I

Act Awareness Care Change Clarity Cry Dangers

L S P L A N E T S I L I O N

P I S E U N E E D S P N I T Educate Efforts Example Feelings Hazards Help Hope

S G G D R E C S E I A V T E

Y N N U E L L R F S I O N R

R S I C S P A E F K N L E V

Intervention Involve Listen Look Needs Observant Pain

Answer: ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 9 letters

E E L A P M R G O I O V V E

V G E T E A I N R L K E E N

O N E E C X T A T L L R R T

C A F O T E Y D S S A A P I

Plan Prevention Recovery Respect Safety Seek Signs

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E H T Y S U P P O R T C S O

R C R L T N A V R E S B O N

A C K E E S S E N E R A W A

by: Nicole Foucault

How to play: circle the letters in the words below. The remaining letters spell out the answer

Skills Support Talk Watch

Find the answer on pg. 7

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Delegates listen and learn at a breakout session 8

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Teresa Burgess-Ogilvie, Executive Director Safe City Mississauga

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reen Dot, White Ribbon‌On Friday, November 4th, 2011, Safe City Mississauga and University of Toronto

Mississauga hosted the 2011 Crime Prevention Conference. The registrants were from many backgrounds including police, social workers, political leaders, community leaders, school board

Acting Mayor Katie Mahoney delivering welcome remarks

members, teachers, municipal employees, security personnel, religious leaders, and youth – lots of youth!

The speakers were from diverse backgrounds, too, in order to demonstrate the many factors we have to consider that effect a safe city. Speakers included Superintendent Paul Pedersen, OIC Investigative Services, York Regional Police; Michael F. Clarke, John Howard Society; Constable Tom McKay, Peel Regional Police; Len Paris, Manager Campus Police Services, UTM; Ross McLeod, President and CEO of Intelligarde; Gopi Krishna, Executive Director, Scarborough Housing Help Centre; Todd Minerson, Executive Director of the White Ribbon Program; Timea Nagy, Human Trafficking Victim; Tina Hotton, Analyst, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics; Dr. Dana Wilson, Assistant Professor, UTM; Mark Saltmarsh, Crown Attorney and David Maylor, Asst. Crown Attorney; Manuel Parreira, Senior Regional Representative, Bank of Canada and Dr. Alison Weir, Statistics Faculty Advisor, UTM. Speakers also included Safe City Mississauga staff, Ashley Lyons, Community Services Manager; Sheena Chen, Chiran Dedunupitiya and Brittany Wakefield, all Coordinators/Researchers.

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One of the highlights of the day was the Hero Awards, sponsored by Bell. This year’s winners were Sharon Paras, Constable William Moldrick, Brenda Dang, Sleep Country Canada, Mississauga Chinese Business Association, and Ron Pagcaliwagon.

Sharon was awarded the Mayor McCallion Hero Award for taking back her neighbourhood. Constable Moldrick received the Mike Metcalf Hero Award for his work with youth; Brenda Dang was awarded the Bell Junior Hero Award for teaching youth to dance as a way to get involved in their communities; Sleep Country received the Harold G. Shipp Hero Award for running the Backpack for Kids program each year; the Mississauga Chinese Business Association was awarded the Ignat “Iggy” Kaneff Hero Award for their commitment to crime prevention initiatives such as the annual Community Crime Awareness Day to help police mingle with citizens in an informal setting; and Ron Pagcaliwagan received the Ron Lenyk Hero Award for being an outstanding volunteer and running a dance program for young people.

Conference emcee, Dana Wilson

The Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, brought greetings and in his keynote, clearly identified his intentions to protect children.

Andrée Cazabon, a Gemini nominee, later said during her plenary session, Letters to A Street Child, “we must be more organized than organized crime.” Andree allowed us to see inside her 13-year-old life and shared with police and social workers that while she always threw their cards away, one day, she didn’t. And now, she is a film maker and a mom.

At the conference, Dr. Hargurdeep (Deep) Saini, an experienced administrator, researcher and teacher currently serving as the Principal of University of Toronto Mississauga and Vice-President of the University of Toronto, where he is also a Professor of Biology, welcomed the registrants and shared some of his own personal thoughts as to the importance of crime prevention.

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Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the Honourable Rob Nicholson, and Gemini nominee and plenary speaker, Andrée Cazabon

The conference’s success was due to the dedication and enthusiasm of the UTM administrator, Mr. Paul Donahue, and the UTM Steering Committee members: Professor Dana Wilson; Campus Police Chief Len Paris; Bill McFadden, Director of Hospitality & Retail Services, and Lauren Merton, Manager Conference Services.

Hero Award Winners, from left: Mississauga Chinese Business Association, represented by Stephen Chu; Sharon Paras; Constable William Moldrick; Sleep Country Canada, represented by Dave Friesma; Ron Pagcaliwagan, represented by Linh Nguyen Pagcaliwagan and Brenda Dang

These are people making a difference in our community and supporting activities that keep our city safe. They are drivers for change and they set an example of the difference one person can make in the local community. The conference attracted people interested in crime prevention, contributing to their readiness to be engaged and mobilized. We hope this year’s conference registrants walked away feeling more ready than before.

The conference lectures included Human Trafficking Survivor, Walk with Me, Timea Nagy; Making the Case for Integrating Crime Prevention and Health Promotion: Insights from a Neighbourhood Study in the Region of Peel; Homicide Trends in Canada; Ontario’s Mobilization and Engagement Model of Community Policing; Making Neighbourhoods Safer through CPTED; Culture of Poverty; A Musical Journey by Georgio; Bystander Intervention Program to Reduce Power-Based Personal Violence; Ending Gender Violence; Safe Growth: Bringing it All Together in Jane/Finch; and Debunking the Myths Behind High Priority Neighbourhoods and The Prevalence of Counterfeit Money in the Region of Peel and Across Canada: Examining the Direct Impact of Counterfeiting as Well as Looking at Ways to Reduce the Occurrence of this Crime on a National level.

We are also fortunate to have the body of knowledge from the annual conference supported by Vantage Publishing in the CrimeSense magazine, and due to the founding sponsor Bell, we will continue to recognize and promote public recognition appeal to actively engage individuals and organizations for making a significant contribution to preventing and/or reducing crime or improving community safety through the Hero Awards. Two local business sponsors this year were West End Meatpackers and 168 Sushi Japan Buffet. A new association, Canada-Chinese Business Communications Council, also sponsored the event.

Special “Thank You” to Acting Mayor Katie Mahoney and Deputy Chief Paul Tetzlaff from Peel Regional Police for bringing opening welcome remarks and we look forward to seeing you at the 2012 Crime Prevention Conference on November 9, 2012! CS

Safe City Mississauga Board Chair Victor Oh and Executive Director Teresa Burgess-Ogilvie

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Family Needs Revisited: Coping Gina Dimitropoulos, M.S.W., R.S.W, Ph.D. Candidate

when a Family Member has an Eating Disorder

Caring for a loved one with an eating disorder can be very challenging for families. Family members see their loved one struggling with major medical and emotional problems. They are often confused and frustrated because their loved one does not want to admit that they have a problem. When their loved one is ready to seek help, families often find there are long waiting lists and few resources for eating disorder programs in their community. Family members also face prejudice towards themselves and the person with the eating disorder due to lack of knowledge. Unfortunately, families are often directly or indirectly blamed for causing the eating disorder or questioned as to why they can’t “cure” their family member. Despite these many difficulties, family members are often surprised to find that their family relationships have been enriched and that they are brought closer to their loved one with whom they have overcome so many obstacles. This issue of the Bulletin will revisit the challenges faced by families caring for a loved one with an eating disorder. Strategies for assisting the person with the eating disorder and ways for finding support for the family will be suggested as well.

A typical family story John and Stacey have a 21-year-old daughter who has been ill for eight years with anorexia nervosa. John and Stacey find their daughter’s weight loss, constant fears about gaining weight and refusal to eat meals with them very distressing. When they tell Nancy about their worries, they only end up arguing with her. Nancy’s younger brother and sister often feel that their needs are overlooked. The family feels that they are gripped by the eating disorder. When John and Stacey talk about their concerns with friends and extended family, they hear comments such as “Why can’t you just make her eat?” Or, “How could you let it get this bad?” Comments like these only make John and Stacey feel more hopeless and reluctant to share their concerns with others.

©copyright iStockphoto.com | Elenathewise

Expressing feelings Sadly, this is a very common story in families of people with eating disorders. There are a number of strategies that may be helpful for coping with the challenges of caring for someone with an eating disorder. The first step is separating your feelings about the eating disorder from your family member. It is natural for family members to experience many feelings such as anger, frustration, sadness and hopelessness. These feelings are “normal” and expected reactions to the eating disorder. Families have a right to express their feelings and thoughts about how the eating disorder has affected them. However, there are some strategies for how to share your feelings with your loved one. People with eating disorders often feel ashamed and guilty about the problem and may even feel they are an enormous burden to their family.

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It is helpful to recognize that the intense feelings are caused by the eating disorder itself and not the person. In other words, John or Stacey might say “I am so angry at this eating disorder that stops us from having meals together” rather than “I am so angry at you for not eating with us”.

Setting boundaries Families have found it helpful to set a boundary around “eating disorder talk”. Tell your loved one that you would like to limit the influence that the eating disorder has on the family. For instance, Jane and her son Daniel agreed that they would only spend 15 minutes a day talking about the eating disorder and its effects. In the past, Daniel would repeatedly ask his mother, “Am I fat?” which would lead to frustration, since no matter what Jane said, Daniel still felt he was overweight.

As the eating disorder talk is reduced, Jane and Daniel have more time to discuss Daniel’s interests, such as his love of art. This conversation improves Daniel’s selfesteem and helps him to feel more competent in an area independent of the eating disorder.

This kind of discussion also helps Jane and Daniel develop a better relationship that is not just focused on the eating disorder. The whole family is able to resume activities and discussions that help them feel competent again. Once everyone realizes how pleasurable these other activities and discussions are, the eating disorder talk diminishes over time until it is silenced altogether.

Coping with ambivalence towards recovery One of the core features of the eating disorder is ambivalence or “mixed feelings” towards weight gain and changing eating disorder behaviours such as vomiting and

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excessive exercise. Families find this ambivalence to be extremely frustrating and confusing. For example, John feels confused that his partner Alexa says she will get therapy one day while the next day she denies that she needs help. John tells Alexa that she must not “love him enough” since she doesn’t make an effort to commit to treatment.

A point to keep in mind is that the ambivalence expressed by your loved one should not be taken personally. Alexa’s ambivalence about therapy does not reflect her feelings about John. People with eating disorders often have great difficulty changing behaviours that they see as positive.

For example, Alexa purges in order to cope with stress at work. Encouraging the person afflicted with the eating disorder to identify the pros and cons of change may help you to gain a better understanding as to why they are ambivalent regarding change. Identifying what are seen as advantages to the eating disorder helps people to work together to identify strategies for positive change. Knowing that Alexa uses purging to relieve stress, John can begin to encourage Alexa to talk directly about her troubles at work and together they identified alternative ways of dealing with stress.

Self-care strategies Family members of people with eating disorders often overlook their relationships with each other and forget to look after themselves. An analogy that I find helpful is that on flights passengers are always advised in emergencies to put on their own oxygen masks before helping a copassenger. Similarly, family members of people with eating disorders should make sure that they look after their

shared your struggles. Another invaluable resource is an advocacy group for families. Such groups typically focus on raising awareness about eating disorders and lobbying for better services and improved resources. It is every family’s right to have services for themselves and their loved one with an eating problem. Advocacy groups empower families by giving them an enhanced sense of control over the eating disorder and effective strategies for navigating the health care system.

Maintaining hope

own physical, emotional, relational and spiritual needs.

Otherwise, they will in the long-run find it more difficult to support others.

One strategy for improving self-care is to identify key people in your circle of family and friends who will listen without blame and judgment when you speak about your struggles. Surrounding yourself with supportive people will also help reduce the tendency that families often have of blaming themselves. Joining a group can also be very helpful. For example, you may benefit from being in a family support group, educational group or advocacy groups for families. Families who feel unsupported and judged by their own friends and extended family may find support groups particularly helpful in making them feel less alone as well as learning valuable coping strategies from people who have

Although the eating disorder can have a negative effect on families, there is also a great deal of hope. It takes tremendous courage and perseverance to live with the eating problem as it can have such terrible effects on both the family and your loved one. However, people with eating disorders do get better, although their paths to change may differ. Families too are able to grow and find strength as they help each other in battling the eating disorder. Although this article describes some strategies that may be useful, it is important to trust that you are the expert on this journey.

It is important to honor what you have learned from this experience and to continue to use the constructive coping strategies that work best for you and your family. By trying various strategies, and joining support or advocacy groups, many families find that they can develop relationships that are no longer dictated by the eating disorder. Many families will come out of this experience to find that they are brought closer to their loved one. CS National Eating Disorder Information Centre 200 Elizabeth St. 7ES-421 Toronto.ON. M5G 2C4 www.nedic.ca

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On November 4th, 2011, Safe City Mississauga and York Regional Police partnered to deliver a presentation on the Ontario Mobilization and Engagement Model of Community Policing at the 2nd Annual Crime Prevention Conference in Mississauga.

Superintendent Paul Pedersen led the presentation by providing an overview of the Model from the police perspective, and on behalf of the originating body, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police. Following the overview, Ashley Lyons, Community Services Manager for Safe City Mississauga, delved deeper into the model, describing how it can be implemented. Read on to learn more about this process.

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Effective Crime Prevention Strategies & Community Implementation

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ntario’s Police Services Act states that crime prevention is the first duty of police services, and while this may be true, the Ontario Community Policing Model emphasizes the importance of community mobilization, working together, and using effective crime prevention strategies. Implemented in September 2010, the model relies heavily on the participation of the community. For this model to work, the community must be active participants in three of the four categories. If a community is not ready or prepared to take action on an issue, this model will not be successful in mobilizing and engaging them in a crime prevention strategy.

Community readiness is key.

While the police and the criminal justice system have been the primary bodies responsible for public safety and preventing crime, and while they continue to have a key role to play and specific responsibilities, public safety is everyone’s concern. Citizens, community groups, and businesses all need to contribute to the development of a safe and cohesive living environment. 1 Keeping in mind the importance of community, and community readiness, how can we effectively implement crime prevention strategies and work towards mobilizing and engaging a community?

EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES

Effective crime prevention strategies are only effective because they use an integrated approach. They mobilize and engage a community that is ready to act, but they are also attached to the root causes of crime.

Community Crime Prevention

• Involves programs which tend to focus on a local level; • Seeks to directly influence intervening make-ups such as social cohesion, and community atmosphere.

A service example in this strategy can include such things as better community policing, or supporting our young people, as in Safe City Mississauga’s Crossroads Youth Academy program. Crossroads seeks to directly influence those intervening make-ups through education and awareness. This program works in partnership with Peel Regional Police, Peel Paramedics Association, Bank of Canada, Peel District School Board, and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.

Situational Crime Prevention

• Involves taking simple, common-sense steps to reduce or eliminate opportunities for crime; • Posits that if you reduce the opportunity for crimes to occur, and you increase the risks of detection for criminals, you will reduce the rewards of crime.

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Because crime is caused by a range of factors, it will be impossible for any one agency (like the police) to make a major difference on its own.

Source: A Manual for Community-Based Crime Prevention: Making South Africa Safe (2000).

CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) is an effective service under this strategy. Safe City Mississauga’s Neighbourhood Watch program conducts a CPTED audit for all Watch neighbourhoods, showing them how to change design features of their street that may increase the occurrence of property crimes. Another service example is a project that Safe City Mississauga has undertaken with assistance from Peel Regional Police, Community Foundation of Mississauga (specifically the Pendle Fund), and the University of Toronto Mississauga. In this project, we are analyzing crime statistics that will help to stimulate the implementation of crime prevention programs in vulnerable areas in Mississauga. This analysis will allow us to identify the social and neighbourhood changes required to reduce crime rates in specific areas according to neighbourhood crime findings. Ultimately, this project will yield positive results, such as a reduction in crime and safe living environments.

Developmental Crime Prevention

• Focuses on stimulating cognitive development and addressing disruptive social behaviours of children.

Safe City Mississauga’s Counter-Act program helps to develop the attributes of respect, responsibility and ownership in elementary school children who have not yet become involved in criminal behaviour. This program is in partnership with the Boards of Education and Peel Regional Police.

Crime Prevention through Social Development

• Social development strategies in Canadian communities are typically focused in three areas:

- Individual - which focuses on addressing existing shortfalls that may place individuals at risk of involvement in crime; - Families - which seeks to strengthen family capacity; an example of this would be parenting programs; and - Community – which seeks to strengthen local capacity to prevent crime.

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Source: National Crime Prevention Council.

All of these are excellent examples of effective crime prevention strategies, attached to the root causes of crime, working together with mobilized partners from police, citizens, school boards, businesses, and government bodies.

IMPLEMENTATION

Knowing effective crime prevention strategies is one thing; successfully implementing them is another. The success of an integrated approach to crime prevention through one of these strategies depends on the successful mobilization and engagement of the community, as demonstrated through the examples provided here. It also depends on the processes used to implement and evaluate it. This involves making strategic choices, setting objectives, and developing appropriate plans of action. To meet these objectives, the community must be ready and willing to work through a number of stages of the crime prevention process.

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Begin with identifying a leader and vision. Local crime prevention organizations or Crime Prevention Units within local police services are most strategically placed to assume a strong leadership role on crime prevention. They can do this by mobilizing and engaging all individuals and organizations who can contribute their expertise and resources to resolving problems of crime. In addition, engagement must include direct involvement in the development and implementation of crime prevention strategies.

Experience shows that viable results will be achieved only if all the dynamic forces within a community are mobilized and work together to create safer communities.

Source: The Key to Safer Municipalities.

Key Partners for mobilization include:

• Police services • Municipal government • School boards • Health and social services • Housing agencies

• Business groups • Community groups • Researchers • Media • Public

As partners are engaged, a community diagnosis must be completed. This involves compiling information from all partners, and taking into account the views and experiences of the public. A good diagnosis can identify the risk factors that may lead to criminal involvement, and help to identify the 18

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range of interventions which can be used to respond to those problems and to target those specific risk factors effectively.

Once the diagnosis is complete, the next step is to develop a plan and course of action. It requires making choices about priorities and deciding on how to achieve the objectives.

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In a recent survey 73% of Canadians placed more importance on prevention than on criminal justice measures.

Safe City Mississauga’s Aspire program, which provides no-cost tutoring services to children living within a targeted underserviced location by high school students, aims to target all three of these social development strategies. Aspire includes all aspects of involvement, from individual (through the child and tutor), with families (through parental involvement), and with community (through the cooperation of the teachers, principals, and local residents).

Successful interventions have been shown to reduce not only victimization, but also the social and economic costs that result from criminal activities and the costs related to processing cases in the criminal justice system.

Source: National Crime Prevention Strategy.

• Begin by identifying the goals and objectives of the initiative, as well as its intended outcomes.

• Identify and target the resources necessary, which includes identifying different types of expertise as well as financial resources.

For successful implementation, it is important for partners to be connected, involved, and engaged during the entire process. It is also important to recognize the importance of investing in crime prevention and not to rely solely on volunteer support or donations. Sustainable funding is key to ensuring the success of a service.

Finally, monitoring and evaluation are just as important as other stages of developing an integrated crime prevention strategy. They are invaluable in allowing you to demonstrate that a strategic, integrated prevention approach can reduce problems of crime. Remember to regularly inform funders, the public, and local partners about your crime prevention efforts, and continue to make adjustments or modifications to meet the objectives. This enables the initiative to be adapted to local needs and circumstances. 2 Implementing crime prevention strategies effectively is not a simple task and like almost anything else, there are bound to be some challenges along the way. Some challenges that might present themselves include difficulty in keeping partners involved and motivated, insufficient human capacity for the identified issue at hand, or little to no financial resources.

Community Diagnosis is also not simple, and can bring with it many challenges. People may not initially be willing to share information or data, there may be language or cultural barriers, and some community groups or individuals may be cautious of the Police. While these are all valid challenges, overcoming them is necessary and easy when each partner has an intended purpose, and is engaged in the process. A clear and inclusive vision focused on action that uses the strength and drive of each group can overcome those challenges.

1. The Key to Safer Municipalities: Preventing Crime and Violence, Partnership of Community 2. The Key to Safer Municipalities: Preventing Crime and Violence, Partnership of Community

IS MY COMMUNITY READY?

As the community is necessary for this model to function, if you do not get the community ready for the process, it will not work.

So what is Community Readiness? Very simply put: readiness is the degree to which a community is prepared to take action on an issue. Matching an intervention to a community’s level of readiness is absolutely essential to increase the potential for success. Using a Community Readiness Model can help you to determine your community’s level of readiness. This knowledge is essential for the development of successful strategies and interventions. CS *Safe City Mississauga is a not for profit charitable crime prevention organization. Any questions directly relating to the Ontario Mobilization and Engagement Model of Community Policing should be directed to the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.*

Supt. Paul Pedersen York Regional Police

Ashley Lyons, BSW, RSSW Safe City Mississauga Community Services Manager

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By Chiran Dedunupitiya

What is Intimate Partner Violence?Â

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ntimate partner violence (IPV) is a pattern of coercive and abusive behaviours, actual or threatened, displayed by an individual against their current or former partner. IPV can occur in any intimate relationship, including heterosexual and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning) relationships. Acts of abuse within these relationships can be physical, psychological, emotional or financial; including sexual abuse, verbal threats, neglect and restricted access to own finances. Intimate partner violence may include a single act of abuse or a number of acts, threatened or existent, which may appear minor or trivial when viewed in isolation, but collectively form a pattern that amounts to abuse1. These negative behaviours are directed to attain or sustain power and control in the context of a relationship2. Physical violence in intimate relationships is often accompanied by psychological abuse, and in a third to over a half of cases, by sexual violence3.

1. Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System of the London Family Court Clinic (2004). A Handbook for Police Responding to Domestic Violence: Promoting Safer Communites by Integrating Research & Practice.

2. Justice Institute of British Columbia (2011). Domestic Violence Prevention and Reduction in British Columbia (2000-2010). 9-14.

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3. World Health Organization (2002). World Report on Violence and Health.

4. Mihorean, K. (2005). Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2005.

5. Statistics Canada (2011). Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile. www.statcan.gc.ca/dailyquotidien/110127/dq110127a-eng.htm

Prevalence of IPV

Until 1993, police reported statistics were the only national source of information on the nature and extent of spousal violence in Canada.

However, it was generally recognized that relying on these data provided an inaccurate picture as they only included incidents that come to the attention of the police1.

Given the sensitive nature of these incidents, spousal violence is an offence that is often not reported to the authorities4. Yet these acts of abuse are daily occurrences in Canada. As reported by Statistics Canada, of the nearly 19 million Canadians who had a current or former spouse in 2009, 6.2% or 1.2 million people self-reported being victimized physically or sexually by their partner or spouse during the five years prior to being surveyed5. It is possible to project increased victims of abuse if dating and teen relationships were accounted for as well.

Although societal misconceptions allow us to stereotype women as being the sole victims, a similar proportion of men and women report experiencing spousal violence. Among men, 6.0%, or 585,000, report experiencing spousal violence, compared with 6.4%, or 601,000, women5. Even though women can be violent perpetrators of abuse in relationships, most occurrence of IPV place women as victims at the hands of men. Despite the similar proportions of self-reported cases, intimate partner violence affects men and women differently. Women usually experience more violence over a lifetime with more severe forms of violence and suffer from more serious injuries than do male victims of domestic violence6. At least one in every three women globally has been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in some other way, most often by someone she knows, while one in four women has been abused during pregnancy6.

Risk Factors of Intimate Partner Violence

There is no specific cause of IPV. Intimate partner violence occurs in all age, racial, socio-economic, educational, occupational and religious groups1. Yet, there are several risk factors associated with this form of violence. IPV is more prominent in certain sociodemographic sectors. Younger individuals are more likely to experience domestic violence than older individuals, as are

individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, or transgender.

Individuals who are in common law relationships or blended families and persons living with physical or mental health conditions are also at an increased risk of experiencing domestic violence2. Poverty, unemployment, and substance abuse are also factors that seem to increase the likelihood of domestic violence7.

Various personality factors are linked to an increase in the risk of partner violence as well, including insecurity, low self-esteem, depression, and aggressive or antisocial personality disorders, as are factors such as conflict within a marital relationship3.

Overall, most factors associated with the perpetration and experiencing of intimate partner violence identified to date are at the individual level, followed by the relationship and community level; fewer have been identified at the societal level3.

Children who are exposed to physical violence in the home are more likely to be physically or indirectly aggressive, have emotional disorders, be hyperactive, or engage in acts of vandalism.

6. Johnson, H. and Hotton, T. (2001). “Spousal Violence.� Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile, 2001.

7. United Nations (2006). United Nations Secretary-General’s Study on Violence against Children.

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Costs of Intimate Partner Violence

Children Victimized in Domestic Abuse

Although many believe that intimate partner violence displays a negative impact on only the individuals directly involved in the relationship, it is most certainly an issue that affects all Canadians. Annually, the costs associated with women leaving abusive spouses in Canada is an estimated $6.9 billion8. Costs of publicly funded programs and services including hospitalization, visits to doctors, legal aid, child protection workers, unemployment insurance, social assistance, counselling, dental, and food bank useage was totalled to produce this astounding figure8.

At an early age, children exposed to domestic violence are more prone to exhibit excessive irritability, problems toilet training and delayed language development, which may lead to poor performance in school and a shortened span of concentration once these children are elementary school-aged9. These children are eventually at a greater risk of substance abuse, juvenile pregnancy and criminal behaviour than children raised in non-violent homes9. Several reports also reveal that children who witness domestic violence are more likely to be affected by violence as adults, either as victims or perpetrators3.

Additionally, children who are exposed to physical violence in the home are more likely to be physically or indirectly aggressive, have emotional disorders, be hyperactive, or engage in acts of vandalism10.

Abuse within an intimate partnership usually wreaks havoc in a victim’s life. It can harm a victim’s physical, mental and emotional health as well as affect a victim’s relationship with his or her children and performance at work. In some cases, intimate partner violence is fatal. The aftermath of violent relationships is costly in all aspects and leaving such relationships may be an extremely difficult task. Individuals escaping abusive relationships are often in need of multiple accommodations. Assistance in searching for work and shelter, supervision of children, and legal advice are only some of the needs, specifically when discontinuing spousal or common law relationships.

Eventually, if children do not receive an alternative to witnessing violence or intervention after the fact, they will most likely display similar behaviour in adulthood.

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Monetary costs to Canadians are only one of the concerning truths about IPV. Another identifies one of the largest proportions of victims of intimate partner violence as being some of the smallest. As many as 275 million children worldwide are exposed to violence in the home7. Of that vast number of children, Canada is estimated to house 85,000 to 362,000 children being exposed to domestic violence7. Multiple reports identify children who are exposed to violence in their home may suffer from a variety of negative effects, even if not directly victimized. There is a significantly increasing risk of damage to a child’s physical, psychological, and emotional growth due to the stress of being exposed to violence in the home.

Why Do They Not Leave?

Intimate partner violence is a multifaceted and prevalent issue, yet we rarely hear about incidents of occurrence due to multiple factors. Victims are often too embarrassed, humiliated, fearful, financially dependent upon and/or protective of their abusers, and rarely seek out help when abuse is in stages of prevention.

Individuals may also decide to stay in a relationship even after incidents of abuse and violence due to promises of change by their abuser and because of religious beliefs.

Intimate partner violence often follows a cycle of violence.

Pioneered by Lenore Walker in 1979, the cycle of violence is compromised of three components: tension building, incident and reconciliation phases respectively11. The tension building phase generally is a period of unrest or tension within a relationship. The abuser may become jealous or short tempered while the victim usually try to placate the abuser.

Eventually, a victim’s efforts of to placate the abuser are no longer effective and the incident phase becomes active.

In order to break this cycle of violence, it is crucial to communicate with children and teenagers being exposed to domestic violence that what they are witnessing is an unhealthy relationship.

In addition to physical abuse, an abusive individual may also verbally abuse, threaten, intimidate, and/or be emotionally, psychologically, and financially abusive. The final stage of reconciliation follows the incident phase where, in time, batterers may provide their victims extra attention in the form of compliments or gifts which is why this phase is also known as the honeymoon period. Emotional manipulation of this nature is also a contributing factor of a victim staying with their abuser. This cycle of violence remains in motion and each phase becomes accelerated in its occurrence, until the victim and perpetrator of abuse seek help, or either of the partners willingly or forcibly leaves the relationship. It is important to acknowledge that not all abusers hurt their victims in this manner as they vary greatly in their tactics, reasoning and behaviours.

violence is present in their homes, they are more likely to propagate the violence exposed to them either as a victim or as a perpetrator3. Eventually, if children do not receive an alternative to witnessing violence or intervention after the fact, they will most likely display similar behaviour in adulthood. Further, the cycle of violence then will not only exist within relationships, but through generations.

Children who learn unhealthy behaviours from domestic abuse, become adults with these negative behaviours, have children, and the new generation propagates the potential to be a perpetrator or victim to the following generation.

In order to break this cycle of violence, it is crucial to communicate with children and teenagers being exposed to domestic violence that what they are witnessing is an unhealthy relationship and happy, fulfilling relationships are not of this nature. Education on this taboo topic is not only essential to the prevention of intimate partner violence, regardless of prior family history, but also to provide the necessary tools available to safely leave or intervene in an abusive relationship. CS

The information provided in the article above was presented at Safe City Mississauga’s 2011 Crime Prevention Conference by Chiran Dedunupitiya during her “Healthy Relationships” lecture.

8. Varcoe, Colleen (2011). Attributing Selected Costs to Intimate Partner Violence in a Sample of Women who Have Left Abusive Partners: A Social Determinants of Healthy Approach. Canadian Public Policy.

9. UNICEF (2006). Behind Closed Doors: The Impact of Domestic Violence on Children.

10. Dauvergne, Mia and Johnson, Holly (2001). Children Witnessing Family Violence.

Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.

11. Walker, Lenore (1979). The Battered Women. Harper & Row Publishers.

12. Rosewater, Ann (2003). Promoting, Prevention. Targeting Teens: An Emerging Agenda to Reduce Domestic Violence. www.endabuse.org/field/ PromotingPrevention1003.pdf

Prevention of IPV

Increasing public awareness, strengthening the number of health care providers who routinely ask appropriate screening questions, and educating children and youth are some initiatives that can prevent IPV. Ultimately, children do as they see. If

Chiran Dedunupitiya, Hons. BSc. Program Coordinator and Researcher at Safe City Mississauga

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FEATURE

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What is a concussion?

A concussion is a brain injury that affects the way you think and remember things for a short time. It can cause many symptoms, but they can’t be seen on x-rays or computed tomography (CT) scans.

What causes a concussion?

Any blow to the head, face or neck, or somewhere else on the body that causes a sudden jarring of the head may cause a concussion. Some examples are: being hit in the head with a ball or being checked into the boards in hockey.

What are the symptoms and signs of a concussion?

A person does not need to be knocked out (lose consciousness or pass out) to have had a concussion.

In younger children, the signs and symptoms may not be obvious. They may have stomach pain or upset. Their behaviour may change. They may not have headache or

Šcopyright iStockphoto.com | Nikada

show problems with thinking.

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When can children return to school after a concussion?

Sometimes children who have a concussion find it hard to concentrate in school, and may get a worse headache or feel sick to their stomach if they try to learn. Children should stay home from school if their symptoms get worse while they are in class. Once they feel better, they can try going back to school for half days at first. If they are okay with that, then they may go back full time.

What should you do if a child gets a concussion?

Make sure he stops playing the sport right away.

Do not leave him alone.

Make sure he sees a doctor as soon as possible that day.

If he’s knocked out, call an ambulance to go to a hospital immediately.

• Do not move him or remove sport equipment, such as a helmet.

• Wait for the paramedics to arrive.

• • • •

How long will it take to get better?

The signs and symptoms of concussion often last for 7 to 10 days. Sometimes they last much longer, even many weeks or months. If your child or teen has had a concussion before, it may take longer to heal.

How is a concussion treated?

The most important treatment for a concussion is rest. That means no exercising, bike riding, play wrestling with family or friends, playing video games or working on the computer.

Your child or teen may have to stay home from school because schoolwork can make her symptoms worse. If she goes back to school or resumes activities before she is completely better, her symptoms could get worse or take longer to go away.

Even though it is very hard for an active person to rest, this is the most important step. Once he is completely better while resting, he can start to increase his activities slowly. It is important to see a doctor before returning to activity.

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After a concussion, when can my child or teen return to school?

Sometimes people who have a concussion find it hard to concentrate in school. They may get a worse headache or feel sick to their stomach if they try to learn. Your child or teen should stay home from school if her symptoms get worse while in class. Once she feels better, she can try going back to school for half days to start. If she’s okay with that, she can go back full time.

When can my child or teen return to a sport?

Children should not go back to sports if they have any symptoms or signs of a concussion. They must rest until they are completely back to normal. After they feel normal and have seen a doctor, your child or teen can then go through these steps to gradually increase activity: 1. Complete rest until all symptoms are gone.

2. Light exercise, such as walking or stationary cycling, for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Try a sport-specific activity (such as skating in hockey or running in soccer) for 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Move to “on field” practice, such as ball drills, shooting drills and other activities with no contact (for example, no checking and no heading the ball).

5. Once cleared by a doctor, move to “on field” practice with body contact.

6. Game play.

No child should go back to a sport until they have been cleared to do so by a doctor.

Each step must take at least 1 day. If your child or teen has any symptoms of a concussion (headache or feeling sick to the stomach) during the activity, he should stop the activity immediately and rest for 24 to 48 hours. He should be seen by a doctor before starting the stepwise plan again.

When should a child go to a doctor?

Every child who gets a head injury should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible.

If your child or teen has been diagnosed with a concussion, it’s important to return to a doctor immediately if symptoms get worse, such as: • • • • • • •

more confusion, a headache that gets worse, vomiting more than once, not waking up, having trouble walking, experiencing a seizure, or behaving strangely.

Problems caused by a head injury can get worse later that day or night. Do not leave your child or teen alone and check on her through the night. There is no need to wake her up during the night, unless there is a concern about your child’s breathing or sleep. If she seems to be getting worse, see a doctor immediately. CS S o u rc e : C a n a d i a n P a e d i at r i c S o c i e t y , D e c e m b e r 2011.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CHILD AND YOUTH HEALTH AND SAFETY, PLEASE VISIT WWW.CARINGFORKIDS.CPS.CA & WWW.CPS.CA MORE INFORMATION FROM THE CPS: IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHILDREN WITH SPORT-RELATED CONCUSSION, A STATEMENT OF THE CANADIAN PAEDIATRIC SOCIETY. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL OR PROVINCIAL INJURY PREVENTION CENTRE OR WWW.SAFEKIDSCANADA.CA FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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W

hat is stopconcussions.com? stopconcussions.com is an online concussion/neurotrauma educational and awareness platform to address the growing trend of concussions in sports. It is a portal that players, parents, coaches, and officials can visit to seek information regarding concussions, with the goal of becoming more aware and ultimately safer individuals in their respective sports. stopconcussions.com will have sport specific programs to help change the mindset of the sport, not the game.

Former Philadelphia Flyers captain, Keith Primeau and former European professional hockey player, Kerry Goulet officially launched stopconcussions.com on May 4, 2011 at the Hockey Hall of Fame. The main goal of this organization is to raise the awareness on concussions and the impact they are having on our youth today. Also to raise the awareness of the impact of putting players, in any sport, back into the game too early.

As Keith and I began talking about concussions and head trauma over 5 years ago, we started to get calls from concerned professional players, youth trainers, coaches, parents, and those suffering from this invisible injury. We realized that they felt very confused and distraught by the overwhelming abundance of information and at times, misinformation. As we are both post concussion sufferers, as well as a parent and coaches of youth athletes we too, at times, became overwhelmed and confused as to where to turn for advice and information. Since Sidney Crosby, one of the best hockey players in the world, was injured we have been made more 28

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aware of the problems concussions bring into our lives. It is important for you to learn more about this injury since we can’t see it, smell it or touch it. Only you can tell your parents, your coach or the doctor how you feel. Understand it is not COOL to hide it and we no longer just suck it up. It is okay to talk about how your head feels after a fall or a bodycheck.

Today it is important to take concussions seriously. It is important to understand that a concussion is a brain injury and must be handle immediately and effectively. As a young person playing sport or participating in individual activities you must be aware of the dangers of hurting your head.

That is why Keith and I have approached this issue from an inside-out concept; players helping the medical and sports world understand the injury. We also have a great medical support team with Dr. Robert Cantu and Chris Nowinski along with a tremendous research team headed up by Dr. William Montelpare. We have added Malcolm Sutherland to handle all of our educational platforms for coaches. He helped created the TIPS manual with myself and Dr. Montelpare.

Stopconcussions has established an alliance with Shift Concussion Management to launch the first complete SCC Concussion Care Clinic located at the Chesswood Arena in Toronto. This is a 24/7 clinic to deal with concussion issues in all sport. Here is the toll free number 1-855-223-1002. As you read further you will get a true understanding of the injury and Keith answers some questions about concussions and the myths!

What is a concussion (say: kun-kuh-shun)?

A concussion is when you hit your head really hard and temporarily hurt your brain. We don’t always get concussions when we hit our heads because our brain is protected by our hard skulls and floats in a special protective fluid. But, if you hit your head hard enough, your brain can shift inside your skull and can bounce against the skull’s boney surface.

Symptoms

A concussion changes the way your brain works and how you feel.

If you hit your head hard enough, you may feel dizzy or shaky, get sick to your stomach, be confused, or have trouble remembering what happened. You may even feel like you’re in a fog and have a headache.

Sometimes you can be unconscious (knocked out or passed out) for a short period of time. This could mean you’ve had a concussion.

Keith answers some questions about concussions and the myths!

Question: “I suffered a concussion in my game last night. People say I took a vicious elbow to the head, but I don’t remember the hit at all. Once I got off the ice and into the dressing room I felt really dizzy and threw up once. I still have a really bad headache today.

I’ve heard about the symptoms of concussions but never realized they could be this bad!”

Keith: “It sounds like you took a pretty hard blow to the head. Elbow’s to the head usually cause your brain to rotate in your skull causing more damage.

As for your symptoms, they may feel un-bearable right now but they will get better with rest and recovery. It is important to keep your daily activity very low key to allow your brain time to rest.”

Question: “Last game I was skating behind the net during warm up. I guess I wasn’t watching the players shooting because I got hit in the side of the head by a slap shot. My legs buckled from under me and I fell to the ice. I got up and tried to shake it off. I remember getting hit but everything after that is kind of blurry. I have a real bad headache too. Could I have a concussion?”

Keith: “Ouch! Sounds like you were in the wrong place at the wrong time! Your symptoms and the fact that you lost control of your muscle control indicate that you have suffered a concussion. Helmets go a long way to prevent these injuries but they can’t stop everything. Just imagine how bad this could have been if there were no helmets! Make sure you have a properly fitted good quality helmet to lessen the chances of suffering a head injury.”

Causes: Your brain is kind of like jelly and it floats in a fluid that helps protect it from everyday shakes and bumps. A hard thump to your head can cause your brain to slide into the inside walls of your skull. You can even get a concussion if you get hit in the neck, face or body because these can cause a sudden jarring of your head. Even a sudden stop, like bumping into the boards, can bounce your brain around and cause a concussion.

Other Problems from Concussions

Getting your first concussion is bad, getting another one is worse. Getting another concussion will make you feel worse than the first time and it will take a lot longer to get over it.

Question: “I had my first tryout with a Jr. B team last night. The players are all a lot older and bigger than I’m used to. One hit really rang my bell and I have not been feeling like myself today. I really want to play the exhibition game tonight, but I have heard that if I get hit hard again I could hurt myself even more. It would be better to wait for the next tryout after I have some rest.”

Keith: “You should definitely listen to your conscience and take some time off. Junior B is a big step up for someone who isn’t used to the size and speed of older players. You need to make sure you are 100% healthy before returning to play or you run the risk of getting hurt again, and this time it could be much more serious.”

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What Can You do if You Think You Have a Concussion?

The first thing is to stop doing what you’re doing and tell an adult, like your parents or your coach. Let them know what happened and how you feel. For example, you hit your head on the ice and now you feel like being sick or you’re dizzy.

Question: “I was crashing the net hard and tripped on someone’s stick which caused me to crash headfirst into the boards. The hit really dazed me, and I feel really confused. I’ve been having the season of my life and the scouts have even been talking about me.

I don’t want ruin a chance at the OHL by telling the coach I don’t think I should keep playing, but I don’t want to ruin my life either if I keep playing…”

Keith: “There are some injuries that you may be able to play through the pain with, but injuries to your brain are different.

If you keep playing you are much more likely to suffer a second concussion, and in such a short period of time this would be devastating to your health. You are young and there will be plenty more opportunities to impress the scouts.

You want to make sure you are 100% healthy to be able to show them your full potential, and playing with a concussion does not allow you to play your best.”

Question: “I’ve had concussions before, and it always felt like a guessing game on when I should be able to play again. About a month ago I suffered a more serious concussion and the doctor gave me some strict guidelines to follow. This took the guessing out of deciding when it was the right time to return to hockey, and I am thankful for it because when I did return to play I felt like I had done the right thing to protect my brain.”

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Keith: “Recovery timelines for concussions, like you said, are hard to determine. Return to play guidelines are useful because they give you tangible steps to follow as you progress through your recovery. Seeing as you have had concussions before, it is important that you take all the time necessary to heal and not rush back to play. It sounds like you have done this and most likely are performing at 100% now that you have let your brain fully recover.”

Hockey Tips: Playing Again

If you’ve hurt your brain it’s going to take some time to get better. Your parents and doctor can help you with this. You’ll need some extra rest and will have to take it easy for a while.

If you take now you’ll be able to play a long time. Here are some steps to help you get back in the game!

1. No activity, complete rest. Once you get the okay from your doctor you can go to step 2 2. Light exercise such as walking or stationary cycling, for 1015 minutes. If you feel really good after doing this then you can move onto the next step 3. Hockey-like activity (e.g., skating), for 20-30 minutes. Again, if you feel good and nothing hurts, then it’s onto step 4 4. Practice activities like puck-handling and shooting drills but with NO CONTACT (no checking). If you’re still doing really well and feeling good then you can move onto step 5 5. Once your doctor says it’s okay you can practice with body contact. If that goes well, and you don’t feel anything like you did when you got your concussion then you can go onto the last step.

6. Get Back in the Game!

Concussion Awareness Drills

stopconcussions.com has been developed to educate management, administrators, coaches, trainers, officials, parents and players on the cause, effects, consequences and management of concussions and is also responsible to gather research to facilitate information on concussions, injury prevention and safe hockey behaviours. You as a coach are the second line of defence (after your trainer) for assessing this invisible injury and by working hand in hand with your trainer and the parents you will help us reduce the incidences of concussions in our game.

Be the Best Skater You Can Be! Having strong skating skills lets you: • Keep your balance when you make contact with someone else • Develop a strong core/body that lets you handle making contact in all situations • Improve your turning and pivoting skills • increase opportunities to play at higher levels of hockey Head Up – Head on a Swivel!

Keeping your head up allows you to: • See everyone and everything around you so you can avoid accidental contact • See where your teammates are so you can work with them and help them keep their heads on a swivel • See where your opponents are on the ice so you can apply strategies for success through effective positioning

We have developed a full library of drills designed to help teach proper hitting techniques and establish the principles in concussion awareness on ice and off. We have created a training program that helps prepare athletes in there off season to deal with concussions.

By adopting our stopconcussions.com principles you have not only made an investment in your own team but the future minds of the world. There is life after hockey and we want to secure that players understand if they educate themselves, they are more prepared to deal with this invisible injury. By being proactive as a team manager, coach, trainer and player you will be able to manage the injury more effectively and thus reducing the opportunity of long term effects and most importantly getting you player back on the ice healthier and clear of mind!

Our youth program has two distinct parts to help change the mindset of our sport. As concussions are the leading concern in hockey or for that matter all sport, we need to return to the basics and stopconcussions.com along with the Play it Cool Hockey research team has created a comprehensive platform to help all involved develop a safer game. Stopconcussions.com has designed a complete coaching protocol, including drills and small area games and Play it Cool Hockey has created a system to help collect research data so we understand our game and concussions better. Dr. William Montelpare, Keith Primeau and myself have developed a three-lesson plan that provides your organization with the tools to make prevention a part of your daily coaching practice: Lesson 1 – Skating Lesson 2 – Awareness Lesson 3 – Risk Management and Risk Reduction Here are the critical points needed to be taught. You may have seen these before but we have tailored them to prevention first and skill development second.

Always From in Front, Not Above the Shoulders!

Checking from in front with your hands and stick down shows: • Respect for your opponent • You know how dangerous checking from behind and to the head are • You understand the rules of the game and that these types of checks are bad penalties that can hurt you opponent and your team Know the Danger Zones!

Knowing the danger zones means you: • Understand the meaning of the term “the checking perimeter”, and are aware of the location of the checking perimeter • Know to keep your head up and head on a swivel when near the checking perimeter so that you can avoid collisions and injuries Angle, Angle, Angle!

Approaching the boards on an angle helps you: • Rub your opponent off the puck and stay with the play • Keep your head on a swivel making your field of view of much larger • Keep skating after you’ve retrieved the puck Be Ready for Contact!

Being prepared lets you: • Communicate with your teammates so everyone is ready when contact is coming • Be ready to initiate and receive contact by keeping your legs moving and your core strong • Keep your head up, and keep your head on a swivel in order to expect contact Heads Up! Don’t Duck!

Smashing your face will prevent you from breaking your neck!

• Getting your arms up when going into the boards lets you absorb the impact of hitting the boards • Getting your arms up when going into the boards lets you avoid going head first into the boards and helps you keep your chin up CS

Written and presented by Kerry Goulet The following guidelines are designed to help you get the most out of your game for yourself and your players.

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oya Chen

by Sheena M

15 year old from Ontario being sold for sex online; a 45 year old man from Hungary working long hours in agriculture for little pay; a young woman from the Philippines with little freedom working as a nanny in a North American home. What do all of these individuals have in common? They are victims of human trafficking, and their stories represent the many faces of this crime. For a long time, there was a debate as to whether human trafficking was taking place in Canada, but we now know that even in this country, these situations are a reality for victims. Surprisingly, many people know very little about human trafficking. In a recent survey in Ontario’s Peel Region attempting to determine the level of knowledge that community service providers had on the topic, the results were disappointing. Many people providing key services in the community were not aware of human trafficking, and furthermore did not understand what exactly it was. This needs to change. In order to prevent it from occurring and to adequately support the victims, we need to educate and raise awareness about this issue.

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through initiatives like this can we continue to learn more about human trafficking.

When sharing statistics about human trafficking, it is important to note that this crime is grossly underreported.

Some of the factors that affect the accuracy of the statistics available are the covert nature of the crime, high levels of under-reporting and the invisibility of the victims. It is often the case that victims are fearful, do not understand their rights, do not have documentation proving who they are, and/or may have been forced into criminal activity. These circumstances often make them hesitant to report their own victimization to authorities.

Discussions of human trafficking are multi-faceted, in that trafficking is studied in the context of various disciplines and areas of analysis. The definition of human trafficking is contested within the international community; however, the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons offers an internationally recognized definition:

Human trafficking is not a new problem. However, today, this old phenomenon is receiving new attention. Although many people still do not know much about how human trafficking works, people are becoming increasingly aware of this crime, which is an international challenge increasingly affecting highly developed countries like Canada and the United States.

Trafficking in human beings is a highly lucrative endeavour in which several groups of people stand to benefit from the exploitation involved. Compared to the “one-time” nature of trade in drugs and arms, a trafficked individual can be used, traded and sold numerous times with relatively low risk.1 It has been estimated that approximately 27 million people are trafficked worldwide. People are reported to be trafficked from 127 countries to be exploited in 137 countries, affecting every continent and every type of economy.

Canada is a source, transit, and destination country for human trafficking. The RCMP estimate that 600-800 persons are trafficked into Canada annually, and that an additional 1,500-2,200 persons are trafficked through Canada into the United States. In an effort to better understand how human trafficking works in Canada, the federal government implemented an initiative called Project Seclusion2. Some key findings of this project helped law enforcement and legal staff better address the cases with which they come into contact. One interesting finding stated in the report is that domestic human trafficking3 victims have mostly been recruited through the Internet or by an acquaintance.

We have learned that these victims were groomed, manipulated, and coerced to enter the sex trade. Only 1. Olga Gajic-Veljanoski and Donna E. Stewart. “Women Trafficked Into Prostitution: Determinants, Human Rights and Health Needs.” Transcultural Psychiatry 44 (2007): 338.

2. This is a national overview of trafficking operations in Canada and it addresses organized crime involvement, transnational associations, source countries, and challenges faced by law enforcement. The findings serve as a baseline tool for law enforcement efforts.

3. Domestic trafficking victims have been trafficked within state borders.

“Trafficking in persons” shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.4 This definition of human trafficking has several special features that warrant further discussion. First, the consent of a victim is irrelevant where any of the means set forth in the definition have been used. In other words, one cannot consent to slave-like conditions that are imposed through deception, coercion or the abuse of power. Secondly, the movement of the individual, either within or across borders, is not a necessary component of human trafficking. It is therefore the case that one can be trafficked within their country of origin. Third, a key feature is that coercion is crucial to most definitions. This can be defined as: threats of serious harm or physical restraint; any scheme, plan or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that failure to perform an act would result in serious harm to, or physical restraint against any person; or threatened abuse of the legal process. Human trafficking always involves the necessary intention of, or actual exploitation of, the trafficked individual by means of coercion, fraud or force.5 Fourth, the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation is always considered a human trafficking case, even if it does not meet all requirements of the definition. Finally, the issue of exploitation is a very crucial part of the definition. The context of this problem consists of an intricate web of personal, cultural and economic forces; however exploitation is always the end result.

4. David R. Hodge and Cynthia A. Lietz. “The International Sexual Trafficking of Women and Children: A Review of the Literature.” Journal of Women and Social Work 22 (2007):164.

5. The two acts are hard to distinguish because often what begins as a voluntary activity on the part of a migrant, who may have sought out the services of a smuggler, can easily be transformed into a situation of trafficking when initial consent is invalidated through the use of deception or coercion. In a case like this, the distinction can only be determined after the individual has arrived in the destination country and is either free to walk away from the smuggler, or is placed in a situation of exploitation.

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There are two main purposes and outcomes of the crime of human trafficking. It can serve the goal of sexual exploitation (perpetuated mainly against women and children) and it can also serve the market for forced labour and labour exploitation in a range of economic sectors. The three most common forms of “employment” for victims of human trafficking are prostitution, forced labour and domestic servitude.6 When trying to understand how this crime has flourished internationally, looking at the global markets is a good starting point because most trafficking victims are also economic migrants, and the problem of human trafficking could not have grown to such proportions if it was not supported by powerful market forces.

Human trafficking in the 21st century is the result of a global demand for cheap and vulnerable labour, which is facilitated by the process of globalization and the existence of underground economies that play an important role in industrialized countries. Human trafficking has been described as: • • •

A predictable outcome of certain political and economic realities, such as migration regimes that restrict the ability of individuals to secure legal access to preferred destinations; International and domestic trade policies that liberalize the movement of money, goods and services, but not labour; and The internationalization, diversification and explosive growth of the global sex industry.7

These essentially economic determinants are reinforced by powerful social structures that create vulnerabilities among particular groups such as migrants, and that nurture the demand for the major products of trafficking.

Recent data indicate that the market in trafficking human beings is greatly expanding. The markets that profit from the act of human trafficking are: legitimate and conventional market economies; the legitimate domestic service economy;8 and the illegal criminal economy of the sex industry. In essence, individuals living in relative poverty desire to migrate in search of a better life.

However, the legal right to cross international borders is a luxury that is more likely afforded to those who are either highly skilled or economically privileged. Some perspectives view the trafficking of human beings as a product of the dark side of globalization.

6. “Developments in the Law: Jobs and Borders,” Fordham Law Review 118, 7 (2004-2005): 2185, Hein Online.

7. A. Gallagher and Paul Holmes. “Developing an Effective Criminal Justice Response to Human Trafficking: Lessons from the Front Line.” International Criminal Justice Review 38.3 (2008): 320.

8. The legitimate market economies consist of, for example, restaurants and factories, whereas the legitimate domestic service economy refers to households which employ maids and caretakers.

9. Gajic-Veljanoski, 341.

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The flow of people for the purposes of exploitation is often described in terms of “push” and “pull” factors, or “supply” and “demand”. Push factors refer to various circumstances that drive people away from their countries of origin, which may also be referred to as the root causes of migration. Pull factors can be defined as underlying structures that create the “demand” for individuals within host states. Some common “push” factors related to source countries include poverty, unemployment, country economic and/or political instability, government corruption, ignorance or lack of awareness of exploitation, and domestic abuse or other family problems.9 Other factors that have been cited include population growth since WWII, the increase in civil wars since the collapse of the former Soviet Union, the collapse of the Chinese social welfare system, uneven economic development, and fears of limited future prospects.10 Traditional pull factors in the literature include restrictive immigration policies, the existence of legal avenues for crossing borders, corruption of government servants, and relative prosperity and peace in industrialized and newly industrialized countries.11 Why do so many people fall prey to traffickers? Root causes of trafficking presented in the literature include poverty, low levels of development, lack of opportunity, gender inequality and a lack of respect for human rights. In addition war, political unrest, and the lack of a promising future help to foster discontent pushing individuals away from their countries of origin. Although some trafficking cases commence when individuals are abducted or kidnapped, others are initiated when people desire to leave their countries of origin in order to pursue a better future, but instead end up in circumstances characterized by deceit. In many cases, the victims are willing collaborators, and they are usually the most disadvantaged inhabitants of their own countries.12 Those with poor job skills or with little chance of successful employment at home seek to capitalize on opportunities to work abroad. Thus, the main purpose of this activity is to make money by exploiting the susceptible and targeting the vulnerable, and economics is the link between populations at risk and the crime of human trafficking.13 10. E. Obuah. “Combating Global Trafficking in Persons: the Role of the United States PostSeptember 2001.” International Politics 43 (2006): 246.

11. Gajic-Veljanoski, 341.

12. A. Aronowitz. “Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings: the Phenomenon, the Markets that Drive it and the Organisations that Promote it.” European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research 9 (2001):168.

13. Edward J. Schauer and Elizabeth M. Wheaton. “Sex Trafficking Into the United States: A Literature Review.” Criminal Justice Review (2006): 147.

When talking about human trafficking, there is an overwhelming focus on the various circumstances surrounding these factors, while the “demand” side of the supply and demand dynamic receives far less attention. The problem of human trafficking cannot be addressed solely by assessing the situation and motivations of the victims involved. Human trafficking is a demand driven activity that could not have grown to such proportions without the demand for cheap labour in industrialized countries and the male dominated demand for sex that promotes sex trafficking in the underground economy. Another common tendency is to focus on trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, while minimizing the situation of trafficking for labour exploitation. Although a majority of trafficked victims are women who are exploited for sex, many of the victims are individuals who are exploited for their labour.

Also important to note is the fact that it is crucial to study labour trafficking because it is more easily concealed.

According to the International Labour Organization, 2.5 million people are in forced labour14 at any given time as a result of trafficking: 56% are in Asia and the Pacific, 10% are in Latin America and the Caribbean, 9.2% are in the Middle East and Northern Africa, 5.2% are in sub-Saharan countries, 10.8% are in industrialized countries and 8% are in countries in transition.15 The International Labour Organization outlines six elements that constitute a forced labour situation: physical/sexual violence, restriction of movement of the worker, debt bondage/bonded labour, withholding or refusing to pay wages, retention of passports and identity documents and threat of denunciation to authorities.16 Of these six elements, two essential criteria must be present for an act to be considered forced labour; namely that there is a “menace of penalty”17 and that the situation is involuntary. Not getting paid or receiving wages below the minimum, unsafe and/or abusive working conditions, work being different than expected or promised and not having a choice in the type of work done also indicate situations of forced labour. Significant human trafficking indicators were identified in some cases involving foreign national domestic workers who were smuggled into Canada by their employers. These live-in domestic workers were controlled, threatened, underpaid, and forced to work by their employers.

Human trafficking, also referred to as modern day slavery, is a reality, and it is happening in our country. It is necessary 14. Including sexual exploitation 15. Refers to the change from one type of market economy where patrimonial or patron client relationships are widespread to a rules-based system of market relationships.

16. “Hidden Slaves: Forced Labor in the United States” Human Rights Center, http://www. hrcberkeley.org/download/hiddenslaves_report.pdf, Accessed 28 March 2008.

to continue to raise awareness about this crime and further research it in an effort to better understand all aspects.

Trafficking is a global problem, and all major actors in the global community need to work together in addressing it.

Once we are able to understand it, we can write better policies to address it, as well as develop the services necessary to adequately support the victims. CS This information was presented at Safe City Mississauga’s 2011 Crime Prevention Conference by Sheena Moya Chen during her “Human Trafficking: Canada, A Destination Point” lecture.

Sheena Moya Chen, Hons. BSc., MA Program Coordinator and Researcher (Safe City Mississauga)

References

• Aronowitz, Alexis A. “Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings: the Phenomenon, the Markets that Drive It and the Organisations that promote it.” European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research 9 (2001): 163-195.

• “Developments in the Law: Jobs and Borders.” Fordham Law Review 118, no. 7 (2004-2005), http://www.heinonline.org.proxy.lib.uwaterloo.ca/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/hlr118 &id=1&size=2&collection=journals&index=journals/hlr • Gajic-Veljanoski, and Donna E. Stewart. “Women Trafficked Into Prostitution: Determinants, Human Rights and Health Needs.” Transcultural psychiatry, 44 (2007): 338-358.

• Gallagher, Anne and Paul Holmes. “Developing an Effective Criminal Justice Response to Human Trafficking.” International Criminal Justice Review 18.3 (2008): 318-343.

• “Hidden Slaves: Forced Labor in the United States” Human Rights Center, http://www. hrcberkeley.org/download/hiddenslaves_report.pdf, Accessed 28 March 2008.

• Hodge, David R. and Cynthia A. Lietz. “The International Sexual Trafficking of Women and Children: A Review of the Literature.” Journal of Women and Social Work, 22 (2007): 163-174.

• “International Labor Organization” ILO, http://www.ILO.org, Accessed 7 July 2008.

• Obuah, Emmanuel. “Combating Global Trafficking in Persons: the Role of the United States Post-September 2001.” International Politics 43 (2006): 241-265.

• Schauer, Edward J., and Elizabeth M. Wheaton. “Sex Trafficking Into the United States: A Literature Review.” Criminal Justice Review (June 2006): 146-169.

17. physical violence against a worker or close associates, physical confinement, financial penalties, denunciation to the authorities (police or immigration) and deportation, dismissal from current employment, exclusion from future employment, confiscation of identity papers, the denial of rights and privileges and even the threat of supernatural retaliation.

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Advertorial Feature

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he Anishinabek Police Service provides policing services to 17 First Nation communities across Ontario, stretching from Kettle & Stony Point First Nation in the south to Fort William First Nation in the north. The APS Headquarters is located in Garden River First Nation near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. There are twelve detachments serving the sixteen First Nations. Anishinabek Police Service has 62 sworn officers and 21 civilian members.

Recently, APS secured funding for an elder abuse prevention program titled Protecting the Golden Years, delivered by the Domestic Violence Unit in partnership with the Family Life Theatre, based in Sault Ste. Marie. The goal is to increase awareness in First Nations’ communities about elder abuse and neglect, identify needs and gaps in existing social support services & resources and provide resource information that does exist to support those elders who’ve experienced or are experiencing abuse.

Delivery format comprises either a power point presentation and question and answer to follow or a theatrical performance by the Family Life Theatre entitled “The Shattered Years” followed by a question and answer.

The National Center on Elder Abuse defines elder abuse as, “any knowing, intentional, or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable adult.” There are a number of types: physical, emotional, spiritual, sexual, institutional and financial. Forty percent of abuse is committed by immediate family members according to the National Centre on Elder Abuse statistics, fifteen percent by a spouse and nine percent grandchildren. Ten percent of abuse is committed by others unknown to the elder victim.

Financial abuse is becoming more prevalent and is referred to as the “crime of the 21st century.” Financial abuse is accomplished in a number of ways, most common are grandparent scams, lottery scams, identity theft, theft, debit card scam, credit card scams, email scams, phony charity scams, health and cure all medicine scams and guardianship/attorney to name a few.

Only one in five incidents of abuse is reported because the witness does not want to get involved, it is unclear if the act constitutes abuse, it is believed the act is not serious, there is fear of retaliation, the elder may be isolated and trust no one,

the elder fears he/she may be placed in a care facility and have no further contact with children/grandchildren, an elder may not have the mental capacity due to illness and is unable to comprehend what is occurring, there is shame if abuse involves a family member or abuser simply possesses an ageist attitude.

Signs of abuse are like neon lights in many cases. Bruises from being hit, withdrawn due to emotional/spiritual abuse, swelling/welts caused from being hit with an object, anxious or afraid to speak to anyone because elder was told not to, broken bones from being pushed to the ground, cuts, burns, low selfesteem due to emotional and mental abuse, weight change due to not eating because abuser has taken your money from you, grip (hand or rope) marks from being restrained in a chair or bed or force fed, trembling from being mentally/ emotionally/ spiritually terrorized, unkempt because elder is not physically capable of caring for self without assistance, sleepiness due to over medicating, teary eyed from feeling hopeless, can’t afford to pay bills because abuser has taken your money, in pain because abuser has taken your pain medication, no medical aids because abuser will not drive elder to medical appointments, caregiver is overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for elder and tending to other family needs and has no relief.

Signs of financial abuse are not as immediately evident and oftentimes by the time it’s discovered there’s been fraudulent activity, it’s too late. Financial abuse can occur in many ways: the one who holds a power of attorney can withdraw money from an account for personal use, make a credit card purchase or forge documents resulting in the sale of assets – a power of attorney is effective when the power of attorney document is signed or a condition, within the document, is met (there are different types of powers of attorney; it’s best to consult a lawyer for advice).

Elder abuse & neglect is a growing “silent” crime and is everyone’s responsibility to change - we all must do our part by standing up and speaking out against it. Change occurs thru education/awareness, action, prevention and commitment; this is our goal. If you see it, report it and if we work together we will prevent it! Call Police Services or Crimestoppers if you have witnessed an elder being abused. Be a voice for someone who isn’t strong enough to use theirs.

One thing is certain DO NOTHING—NOTHING DONE! 37

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s your summer job search underway? Whether you’re dreaming of a job in the sun with the local tourism office or gearing up for long days sweating it out in a busy marketplace, you may end up handling plenty of cash.

Are you ready for that? Because it’s not just about doling out the correct change. It’s about knowing your money.

Maybe you take it for granted, but the cash in your wallet is jam packed with technology to protect it against counterfeiting.

Never given counterfeiting much thought? Think a forgery, fake, phoney, funny money isn’t a big deal? It is.

Programs for Schools and the Public Canada’s Currency Museum plays a key role in fostering confidence in the cash that we use every day. It helps us to grasp the value of money and

Studies show that most counterfeits are passed in the retail environment. That makes cash handlers the first line of defence against counterfeiting.

Whether it’s a $5 or $100 bill, making, knowingly having, or trying to use a counterfeit is a criminal offence that is punishable by up to 14 years in jail.

Organized crime groups are often behind the production and distribution of counterfeit bills, and the profits they make from counterfeiting often fund other serious crimes in your community.

No one wants that. So do your part to stop crime. Spotting a counterfeit depends on knowing and routinely checking the security features on genuine bank notes.

Now is a really good time to learn because the Bank of Canada is in the midst of rolling out a new series of polymer notes. Maybe you’ve already heard of Canada’s switch from paper to bank notes printed on this smooth, light-weight film.

The new $100 came out last November, and the $50 was issued 26 March 2012.

The $20 will be out late this year, and the $10 and $5 by the end of 2013.

economic concepts that aren’t necessarily easily understood.

Since not everyone can visit the Museum in person, several programs are designed to be delivered externally. No classroom or community is out of reach.

Counterfeit Detection Kit A curriculum-based program that teaches how to tell a real note from a counterfeit. The kit includes engaging activities, presentations and lesson plans, while providing a useful job-readiness skill.

So get to know Canada’s new money and add an important job-readiness skill to your resume.

(for grades 10 to 12)

Inflation Busters A fun and dynamic lesson on how economics affects us all. (for grades 9 to 12, CEGEPs and community colleges) For other programs and for more information, visit www.currencymuseum.ca.

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Feel, Look and Flip Feel, Look and Flip is a phrase that reminds you how to check key security features on the new $100 and $50 polymer notes.

Feel •

Feel the smooth, unique texture of the note. It’s made from a single piece of polymer with some transparent areas.

Look • •

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Look for transparency through the large window and the outline of the frosted maple leaf window.

Look at the details in the metallic portrait and building in the large window.

Flip •

Flip the note to see the metallic portrait and building repeated in the same colours and detail on the other side of the large window.

For more information including videos on polymer notes and how to check the security features of paper notes, visit www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes.

Dealing with Suspicious Money

So once you’re hard at work in that new job, check your notes and prevent a counterfeit from ending up in your till or in a customer’s change.

And remember that anyone could have a counterfeit and not know it.

Be professional and careful not to accuse someone of trying to pass a fake.

Advise the client that you suspect the bill is counterfeit and can’t accept it. Ask for another bill and check it too. Suggest that the client take the suspect bill to local police for verification.

Once they’ve left, inform your boss who will also contact police to report a possible attempt to pass a counterfeit.

These simple actions will help put counterfeiters out of business. CS Used with the permission of the Bank of Canada www.bankofcanada.ca

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ocial cohesion and interaction between neighbours appears to be on a decline with increased percentages of women in the workplace, substantial use of technology rather than social interaction and longer commutes to work leaving less social time in and around the residential property1. Although a strong sense of community continues to persist within society, our connectivity structure has changed and made it progressively difficult to know our neighbours, which is a key component of crime prevention.

How is knowing your neighbours connected to the prevention of crime? Simply stated, if you know who belongs, you know who doesn’t. Neighbourhood crime prevention initiatives have been forced to adapt to changing technologies, social customs and workplace schedules. Working with communities is essential to ensure that knowledge reaches all demographics in the community and it is evident that implementing new techniques is required for community outreach and shared information.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (C.P.T.E.D) is a crime prevention model that offers an effective approach to reduce opportunities of crime and unwanted behaviour.

“The proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to a reduction in the fear and incidence of crime and an improvement of the quality of life.” 2 Properly implemented C.P.T.E.D. strategies make neighbourhoods safer by reducing the attractiveness and increasing the difficulty for those who are intent to offend by good physical design strategies which include natural access control, natural surveillance, target hardening and territorial reinforcement. This situational crime prevention method entails “focusing on the settings for crime rather than upon those committing criminal acts… [comprising of] opportunity-reducing measures that (1) are directed at highly specific forms of crime, (2) involve the management, design or manipulation of the immediate environment in as systematic and permanent way as possible, (3) make crime more difficult and risky, or less rewarding and excusable as judged by a wide range of offenders”3.

their neighbourhood, street and/or residential unit. This in turn, results in the reduction of criminal opportunities in a given area by implementing C.P.T.E.D principles, to proactively prevent future occurrences and mitigate overall frequency of property offences.

Encouraging residents to think about proactive crime prevention strategies rather than reactive strategies can avert neighbourhood issues before they occur. Residents are strategically provided with audit outcomes and analysis pertaining to surrounding land uses to encourage the perception that neighbourhood safety is not just about what exists on their street, but also surrounding characteristics in terms of situational crime prevention. Surrounding land use design and C.P.T.E.D. related issues affects activity streaming into residents’ immediate neighbourhood. Crime prevention practitioners know these facts but it is not always obvious to the common resident, who is unfamiliar with the intricacies of neighbourhood design with crime prevention in mind.

Although basic C.P.T.E.D. principle implementation is not sufficient enough to result in the quality of changes that many neighbourhoods could benefit from, providing as many helpful and proven tips and easy ways to improve neighbourhood safety should be shared. Pairing the Neighbourhood Watch Program, a neighbourhood safety program with proven crime prevention techniques, gives residents a reason to want to make change in their neighbourhood, and provides a venue to effectively deal with root causes of neighbourhood crime.

Partnerships with the public, local police and community organizations working toward a safer environment are an effective holistic approach to providing resources to the community for a safer living environment for all. CS This information was presented at Safe City Mississauga’s 2011 Crime Prevention Conference by Brittany Wakefield during her “Lessons in prevention from a CPTED Academic” lecture.

At Safe City Mississauga, C.P.T.E.D Audits are conducted for the purpose of sharing information at Neighbourhood Watch Setup Meetings. Sharing information and knowledge is essential to assisting residents in preventing crime; providing rich information about their neighbourhood and how to implement recommended changes themselves should be encouraged. One primary objective is to stop the barriers constricting discussion between neighbours about common problems happening in the neighbourhood and empowering people to take ownership over their community by teaching how to implement suggestions specifically for

1. The Psychology Foundation of Canada Staying on Top of Your Game Program. Knowing your Neighbours. Psychology Foundation of Canada. 15 Mar 2012. http://www.psychologyfoundation.org/pdf/ TopOfYourGame/17.pdf

2. Injury Center: Violence Prevention. 2009. Youth Violence: Using Environmental Design to Prevent School Violence. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 15 Mar 2012. http://www.cdc.gov/ ViolencePrevention/youthviolence/cpted.html

Brittany Wakefield, Hons. B.A. Program Coordinator and Researcher Resident Criminologist

3. Clarke, Ronald. “Situational Crime Prevention Successful Case Studies.” School of Criminal Justice Rutgers University. (Harrow and Heston Publishers, New York). 1997.

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awareness, education and skills-practice, in proactive behaviors that establish intolerance of violence as the norm, as well as proactive and reactive interventions in situations – resulting in the ultimate reduction of violence.

Specifically, the program proposes to target socially influential individuals from across community sub-groups. The goal is for these groups to engage in a basic education program that will equip them to integrate moments of prevention within existing relationships and daily activities. By doing so, new norms will be introduced and those within their sphere of influence will be significantly influenced to become proactively involved in stopping and reducing power-based personal violence and other forms of violence and harassment in their community.

Green Dot – Bystander Intervention Program to Reduce Power-Based Personal Violence Len Paris Manager, Campus Police Services, University of Toronto Mississauga

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ower-based personal violence happens in such a staggering degree that the only workable solution must involve a broad-based social movement to reduce and combat it.

The University of Toronto campuses in Toronto, Scarborough and Mississauga introduced a new crime prevention program to its community members in October 2011. The program was originally developed at the University of Kentucky in their Violence Intervention and Prevention Center. The University of Toronto was the first Canadian institution to train over forty facilitators and to introduce this new program to its community members.

The new program is called “Green Dot” and it is symbolized by turning the “Red Dots” of violence, sexual assault, threats, harassment, and the choice to “do nothing”, into the Green Dots of intervention, empathy and action to stop power-based personal violence in our communities.

A Green Dot is simply the individual choice at any given moment to make our communities safer by refusing to do nothing when witnessing a violent, abusive or harassing act in our communities.

The Green Dot strategy is a comprehensive approach to violence prevention that capitalizes on the power of peer and cultural influence. Informed by social change theory, the model targets all community members as potential bystanders, and seeks to engage them, through 44 c r i m e s e n s e m ag . c o m

The Green Dot Program involves a one day interactive seminar where participants learn, practice and share methods to recognize and respond to incidents of violence and harassment. Participants who have taken the seminar, have stated that they are now more prepared to actively and visibly oppose violence, safely intervene in situations, and stand up and support victims of violence and harassment.

A university student who recently took the one day seminar stated afterwards:

“During Reading Week, I had the opportunity to attend a Green Dot training session. During this one-day training event, I learned the knowledge that has empowered me to stand up to perpetrators. Listening to the many stories that were shared by fellow students and staff in attendance has emphasized the prevalence of power-based violence and given me the courage to prevent it when given the opportunity to do so. It was an amazing experience!”

The Green Dot program does not prescribe what you should do, it just asks you to do something. The Green Dot Program stresses that bystander safety and the safety of others nearby are paramount and must always be considered. When alone and witnessing a risky situation, the only safe option may be to call friends, colleagues or the police in order to intervene.

The three major categories of “reactive “Green Dots are: Direct Intervention, Distraction Techniques, and Delegation to others who may be in a safer or more appropriate position to respond and assist.

During the next year, the University of Toronto will be evaluating its Green Dot program and the success of the seminars. It will also be looking for ways to deliver more Green Dot seminars and awareness to its campus communities.

Their first year proved to be very successful. Future success of this program rests with members of the community taking an active interest in making their community a safe and caring place to work, live study and play. CS

“No one has to do everything but everyone has to do something” www.healthandwellness.utoronto.ca/greendot.htm

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ife is wonderful, but at times it can be difficult. Trying to be yourself while fitting in with a particular crowd, and also being the person that your parents want you to be can prove to be quite challenging at times. It’s bad enough you have to worry about things like peer pressure, acne and your voice changing. Now, imagine all of those things happened at the exact same time; besides making for the most awkward date known to man, chances are it would also make you into a very stressed individual.

We all get stressed out from time to time, but it’s how you cope with it that matters. Exercise through sports, doing brain teasers or just hanging out with friends are great stress busters. There are however, some activities that many believe will reduce stress, but will actually only increase its levels and further deteriorate your health. Unless prescribed by a licensed physician, make sure you ALWAYS say nope to dope!

Getting high should only be reserved for pilots and their passengers. Sadly, a growing trend has emerged in an attempt to ‘soar’ without the use of a plane or any type of drug. Youth (from as young as 9, all the way to 19) are engaging in what is known as ‘The Choking Game’; where a person commits an act of self strangulation (either alone, or in front of a group), through the use of objects such as: belts, rope, ties, scarves and extension cords. The ‘high’ occurs after the strangulation ends, and oxygen rushes back to the brain. In some cases though, the only rushing that occurs is to the hospital, or even worse still. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) cited more than 80 deaths/year related to this game from 1995-2007.

The stats are shocking; the worst part is that many people have never even heard of this game before. ‘86% of parents report not knowing about the Choking Game prior to their childs involvement’. It’s imperative that everyone becomes aware of these types of trends and know how to read the warning signs when they are happening in front of you. CS For more detailed information about The Choking Game, how you can become involved with preventative initiatives and educational resources on how to keep such a dangerous ‘trend’ from being a contracted word for tragic end, check out these great sites: www.gaspinfo.com/en/home.html (Organization) www.tweenparenting.about.com/od/ healthfitness/f/ChokingGame.htm (Info) www.chokinggame.net It may be referred to as a game, but there’s no joking when it comes to choking.

Remember, life is beautiful.

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