It starts with you. It stays with him.
Internet-Based Campaign Promotes Healthy Equal Relationships
between Men and Women

TORONTO, June 18, 2009 – The White Ribbon Campaign (WRC) and Le Centre ontarien de prévention des agressions (COPA) announce the official launch of the It starts with you. It stays with him. campaign to help raise awareness about respecting and treating women as equals.

The Internet-based awareness campaign and comprehensive website itstartswithyou.ca aim to encourage, empower, and inspire men as they teach the skills to create and maintain healthy and equal relationships with women to the boys (ages 8 to 14) in their lives.

“In addition to introducing a website that will provide men with the necessary resources, tools, and information to educate, encourage and mentor the boys in their lives, we are also initiating an Internet-based awareness campaign aimed at promoting the site through emerging social media channels,” explains Todd Minerson, Executive Director of the White Ribbon Campaign. “With Father’s Day right around the corner, we are pleased to offer this gift to all men who would like the boys in their lives to cultivate healthy and equal relationships with the women in their lives.”

“As a provincial Francophone assault prevention resource centre specializing in child and youth issues in Ontario, we strongly believe in this campaign and we are delighted to simultaneously launch a francophone website,” explains Éric Stephenson, Project Coordinator for COPA. “We have worked hand in hand with our colleagues at WRC to develop comprehensive and complementary websites in French and English to support fathers, teachers, community workers, coaches and more, as they communicate important life skills to the boys in their lives.”

"Breaking the cycle of violence against women starts by teaching our young people about healthy, equal relationships," said Deb Matthews, Minister Responsible for Women's Issues. "I'm delighted this internet-based awareness campaign will take advantage of social media so that more men have the tools they need to teach our boys about treating women and girls as equals."

The White Ribbon Campaign (WRC) is the largest effort in the world of men working to end violence against women. In over sixty countries, campaigns are led by both men and women, even though the focus is on educating men and boys.

Le Centre ontarien de prévention des agressions (COPA) is a Francophone provincial training body whose goals are to develop, consolidate and disseminate child/youth assault prevention resources that focus on child and youth advocacy. It also helps consolidate and support a Franco-Ontarian resource network in the field of child and youth violence prevention.

It starts with you. It stays with him. has been made possible thanks to the Promoting Healthy and Equal Relationships (PHER) Program, funded by the Government of Ontario.

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For more information, please contact:
Nyree St. Denis, 613-233-9191 or nyree@deltamedia.ca

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