The Rural Voice, 1983-04, Page 32NEEDS OF RURAL WOMEN
Problems, concerns and educational
needs for rural women were reported to
the Rural Women's Study conducted by
the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and
Food in Clinton March 2. Molly
McGhee. advisor to Rural Women's
Programs and Consumer Services for
OMAF welcomed 34 women in the
afternoon and later 14 to the evening
session. This was the sixth of 24
meetings scheduled throughout Onta-
rio, reaching as far north as Kapus-
kasing, to determine the needs of rural
women and particularly farm women.
Rowena Wallace, a Seaforth area
farmer told of the difficulty of fulltime
farm work being compounded by family
and household chores. "The normal
stress of farming is amplified when
farmwork and childcare must coincide"
she says. She praised the courses now
being offered by OMAF but pointed out
that advertising was directed toward
men.
All those speaking to the hearing
committee recognized the restriction
childcare placed on their involvement in
their farm work and activity in the
community. One farmer reported she
paid up to $55. per week to babysitters
to keep up her participation in farm
organizations.
Gwen Dykeman, Uxbridge Township,
spoke on behalf of farm women who are
employed off the farm. "Often we come
home to do chores, take care of
children and cook meals. Really we
have three jobs: farmers, homemakers
and employees". She stressed that farm
women work because they need the
income for essentials not luxuries. The
need to work can be frightening, es-
pecially in times of high unemployment
which limits your mobility and bargain-
ing power. She felt most farm women
were too busy to attend courses and
workshops and this educational need
could be met by the media in maga-
zines, newspapers, radio and T.V. pro-
grams.
Speaking on behalf of the Huron
County Family Crisis Centre Commit-
tee, Isobel MacDonald reported the
need for women who are battered to
have a safe refuge to flee to escape
abuse. Herself a battered woman, Mac-
Donald stated "The crisis centre com-
mittee was formed in response to a
grass roots observation of a real need
in Huron County". Abused rural women
have all the problems of urban women
such as economic dependence and
learned helplessness. Her problems are
compounded by isolation, loneliness,
lack of transportation and little tele-
phone privacy.
Pat Down, an active 4-H leader
PG. 30 THE RURAL VOICE, APRIL 1983
IN THE NEWS
It was like coming home for Molly McGhee when she returned to Huron County
where she resided from 1967 - 77 while she was associate principal of Centralia
College of Agricultural Technology. McGhee, who is now the OMAF adviser to
rural women's programs and consumer studies, is seen above discussing the
current concerns of rural women with a few of the 43 women who met with her
in Clinton in March.
reported her disappointment in the
change in the 4-H program. She felt
club books did not allow the creativity
and in depth study of the original 4-H
program.
Gerry Fortune, past president of the
Huron County Federation of Agricul-
ture, stated on their behalf that the
farm woman has little leisure time, no
money for holidays, poor off -farm job
opportunities, no set hours, depen-
dency on weather and changing markets
and a multitude of other stresses. She
advised women to read, take courses,
and keep informed on changing markets
and technology in farming. She outlined
a wide variety of courses from introduc-
tory courses to new farmers, to farm
safety which should be offered and that
women should be actively recruited and
advertisements directed to women as
well as men.
Dr. Marina Brash, a farm veterinarian
stressed a point made in the OFA
report that women are not just a free
"hired hand" on the farm but equal
partners. "When I go out to these farms
the women are right there wanting all
the technical information I can give
them."
The self help network of Women
Today presented the first non-farm
women brief to the hearings to date.
"Urban dwellers have a fantasy of
retreating to the country to a stress free
life" reported Valerie Bolton, Coordi-
nator of the network. "If rural life is so
easy why does Huron County have
twice as many accidental deaths and a
third more suicides than the provincial
average? These statistics are indicative
of a very stressful culture".
Women Today felt there were four
main areas of problems for rural wo-
men: Loneliness and isolation, poor
transportation, dire economic situations
and stereotypical attitudes toward wo-
men's roles creating barriers to her
participation in all aspects of the
community. "Large gaps exist in the
educational, counselling and health
needs of rural women. There is a
desperate need for more quality day-
care, meaningful work, quality care for
aging women and broader role models
for young women". Bolton went on to
say that self help groups are an
excellent educational tool to integrate
women into all rural activities.
McGhee was very appreciative of all
the information and reports presented
by the women and pleased by the good
turnout. She admitted, "I've had doubts
expressed to me that this study is just
window dressing, lip service or make
work but I do not believe this is true.
Times are tight and staff must be used
efficiently, not just for public rela-
tions." She emphasized that the study
has the support of both the Minister
and deputy minister of agriculture. She
warned that such an indepth study
would take time and no one should
expect results immediately.
Valerie Bolton