To put an end to violence against youths
"Preventing the after-effects" symposium
Fighting against violence in schools has become the issue of the day since the announcement Monday of a $17 million action plan to fight against the phenomenon. Laval is taking part in the movement by opening a symposium called "Preventing the after-effects" last Thursday. The issue at hand is the violence and abuse that takes place between young couples.
This two day event will take place at Château Royale, and has been inspired by the publication of a portrait of young Laval residents aged 15 to 30 put together by the Forum Jeunesse de Laval (FJL).
Forum Vice-President Jenny Ingrid Lebounga Vouma affirmed that the report exposed that too many young Laval residents are subject to physical and sexual violence. Researchers hired to put together the report noted that the weight of the 15-30 demographic is in decline. This vulnerable group of society is more and more diversified and can speak both English and French. Young people are going to school full time less and less and are more often joining the job market.
"We hope that this symposium incites reflection and change, in order to reverse this tendency of violence towards young people," said the FJL Vice-President. She added that the rate of violence against youths in Laval is much higher than the general average.
Michelle Courchesne and Danielle Sawyer from the Ministry of Education will announce a plan of action this week <@Ri>La violence à l'école, ça vaut le coup d'agir ensemble". Relationships amongst young people are often plagued by violence, in the same way we see violence in adult relationships. "These kinds of relationships cause deterioration in self-esteem, a high rate of absenteeism from school and depression that can sometimes lead to suicide," said Sawyer.
Some support please!
The first guest at the conference is professor and psychologist from the Psychology department at the Université de Laval, Francine Lavoie, saluted the government for their program of prevention of violence in schools, but hopes for better planning in response to political recommendations.
With $1 million invested in a media campaign, Lavoie also finds it necessary to evaluate the costs and benefits to the public's character.
A pioneer in the domain of community psychology and first in Quebec to have researched violence amongst young couples, Lavoie says that many challenges like ahead as this phenomenon grows. "It has to be questioned whether sexual education is doing what it was supposed to in schools. It is important to listen to the opinions of young people, to understand their motivations and goals."
For Lavoie, it's paramount that young people aren't solely sensitized to the violence that can arise in a relationship. "It is important that they (young people) are exposed to relationships that we would call normal, with regular behaviour," she said.
Over the two days, the symposium will host ten conferences touching most specifically violence amongst young couples, hyper-sexualization and its link to violence acts, prevention, the impact of aggression in adult year and the consuming of pornography. Each workshop will be presented in a room filled with a diverse array of social interveners who work with youths, including teachers, heads of youth centres as well as CLSC interveners and a few parents.
PHOTO DIGITALE:Colloque.jpg
(Photo: Maya – Alariephoto)
Relationships amongst young people are often characterized by violence, in the same way violence occurs between some adults.
Météo: Laval, 18 juillet 2008 / 22°C
/ Faible averse de pluie
/ Vents: 22 Km/h / Humidité relative: 83 % 
Steven Guilbeault - Chronique environnement
Richard Cléroux - Le fouineur politique
