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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1993-06-09, Page 6For the first time in lottery history we have a five billion dollar winner. You. And communities across Ontario. Since 1975, lottery proceeds have been hard at work supporting social service organizations through the Trillium Foundation, cultural and recreational activities and hospitals all across Ontario. Recently, the total surpassed the 5 billion dollar mark. To celebrate this milestone, the Ontario Lottery Corporation will host a "Free Admission Day" this Civic Holiday (August 2, 1993) at over 45 venues across the province. On that day, the doors to the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Royal Ontario Museum, Science North, Upper Canada Village and more will be open to you at no charge. Together we have plenty to celebrate. So enjoy. And let's keep up the good work. Together we're making good things happen. Ontario Lottery Corporation Socidte des loteries de l'Ontario PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 1993. Survey gets rural response to woman abuse By Janice Becker A survey, recently completed by S.W.A.N., indicates that Huron County must deal with unique problems with regards to woman abuse because of the large rural population. The results were released in a press conference, held at Clinton Huronview Health Center, on June 4. In recent years, the problem of woman abuse has become a very important issue, not just in urban centers, but for those living in rural communities. In 1990, a group of Huron Coun- ty professionals and others con- cerned with the problem formed. S.W.A.N.(Stop Woman Abuse Now). Their "mission" was to "work toward the reduction, pre- vention and eventual elimination of all forms of woman abuse". The survey looked at the avail- ability of services and the commu- nity perception of woman abuse, in Huron County. Huron County MPP, Paul Klopp, stated that the report was "a very well documented program" and that he found many aspects "interest- ing". Mr. Klopp said this study could help to establish a District Health Council. It could aid in the gathering of information and mak- ing services available to survivors of abuse. The press conference was opened by Mr. Doug Reberg, psychologist with the Delta Group (for batterers) and Ms Jacquelyn Burkell, project coordinator, members of S.W.A.N. Ms Burkell stated that she was very proud of the work that had been done and of the courage of the women who "identified themselves as survivors of abuse". The research involved 358 inter- views with members of each com- munity in Huron county as well as 21 survivors. Burkell identified several prob- lems that are unique to Huron County because of the large rural population (over 50 percent of total) and the lack of a large centre. Goderich, with a population of approximately 7,500 is small in comparison to other county centers. This rural aspect creates difficul- ties for women in abusive situa- tions. Distance plays a major role in the inaccessibility of many ser- vices. The S.W.A.N. report found that this isolation increased police response times to incidents, made transportation away from the situa- tion difficult for the woman and the monitoring of long distance phone calls made by the woman in dis- tress, easy for the abusive partner. With the research, Ms Burkell said that one of the most important aspects was the need for "commu- nity responsibility". Each commu- nity must take the initiative to support and understand the needs of survivors. The report, Huron County Voic- es, stated that there is a need to make information more available to survivors. The location, accessibili- ty and affordability of services, in the community, is important knowledge for the women to have in order to receive help. This was considered one of the barriers to assistance. The report identified several groups that provide support and S.W.A.N. is taking the initiative to make them more well known. These groups include STFH (Survival through Friendship House), Phoenix of Huron (second stage housing), Group Delta and Renascence (for batterers partners). Along with these specific services, community agencies as well as doctors, clergy, police and many others provide help. It is the hope of S.W.A.N. that all these organizations can be kept bet- ter informed by news letters and they will in turn inform the com- munity and those in need of assis- tance. Huron County Voices: A Rural Community Responds To Woman Abuse, is available from S.W.A.N., in Goderich. Study the report Jacquelyn Burkell, project coordinator, and Doug Reberg (right), member of S.W.A.N., discuss the results of the Huron County Voices research study, with Huron MPP, Paul Klopp. County tables motion Continued from page 1 farmland was relaxed, there might be a site far superior to the Grey Township site found. Tom Cunningham, reeve of Hul- lett Township, calling for the motion to be split into two different motions, said he supported Reeve Wilder's call for an upper limit on spending but worried that short-cir- cuiting the process would bring problems if the site selection was appealed. He pointed to problems with another site selected in St. Vincent Township which was rejected at an appeal hearing. Brian McBumey, reeve of Turn- berry where the landfill site is full, admitted the site selection process is frustratingly slow but "it is still the best way to get a site." The county has a pretty good relation- ship with the public and shouldn't jeopardize it, he said. Norm Fairies, reeve of Howick Township said that if land classifi- cation is going to be relaxed to include class 4 land, then all class 4 land had better be included. "If we can include class 1 and 2 land, 95 per cent of the land in Huron, we have a better chance of getting a good site," he said. John Doherty, reeve of Goderich, moved that the motion be tabled until more information from a recent round of public meetings is compiled. That would give council a better idea on the feeling of the public in regards to site selection criteria, he said. The motion to table was passed. There were about 60 people at a recent meeting on setting site selec- tion criteria at Blyth and consider- ably fewer in Hensall. Reeve Lee suggested there was greater interest in the north of the county because the sites selected, and rejected, in the first round of the process were all in the northern area of the coun- tY.