New Men's Group formed to address Violence Against Women and Children

A group of men from Cornwall have joined together to work towards eliminating violence against women and children in the community. The Building Better Men Group was officially unveiled on Friday, November 4th during a gathering at City Hall.

PHOTO CREDIT - Submitted Photo

Cornwall - Nov. 4, 2011 - A group of men from Cornwall have joined together to work towards eliminating violence against women and children in the community. The Building Better Men Group was officially unveiled on Friday, November 4th during a gathering at City Hall.

Among other things, the new Group will work to raise awareness of violence against women and children in collaboration with other community partners.

"Building Better Men is all about men taking a leadership role in eliminating violence against women and children," said Protius Grant, the Chair of the new Group. "By working together, there's a lot we can accomplish."

Some of the Group's initial goals are to recruit additional members, establish partnerships and raise its profile in the community.

"We are in the early stages of this process, but we believe it has tremendous potential to bring about measurable change in our community," added Mr. Grant.

Building Better Men was formed as an offshoot of the Mayor's Task Force on Violence Against Women and Children, which was established in 2008.

"I am delighted to see this new group take shape, and I commend the men who have stepped forward to be a part of this important initiative," said Mayor Bob Kilger.

Those interested in getting involved with the Building Better Men Group are asked to communicate with Mr. Grant via email at grant.protius@gmail.com

During the Friday event, a proclamation was signed declaring November as Woman Abuse Prevention Month in the City of Cornwall.

To help raise awareness in the community, a series of bright yellow banners representing different messages of respect have been put on display in a number of buildings, including the Benson Centre, Aquatic Centre, Cornwall Square, NAV Centre and St. Lawrence College.

In addition to the proclamation, Councillor Bernadette Clement, Co-Chair of the Mayor's Task Force on Violence Against Women and Children, also took a moment to recognize Crown Attorney Wayne McDermid for being named the recipient of the 'CANAA Award of Excellence.' The award is handed out by the Community Action Network Against Abuse (CANAA) to someone who has made an outstanding contribution in the field of abuse prevention.