City of Toronto: City Proclamations

City of Toronto Proclamation

"Violence Against Women Awareness Month"

September 2003

WHEREAS:	violence against women is a problem worldwide, occurring in all regions, countries, societies and cultures and affecting women irrespective of income, class, race or ethnicity; and
WHEREAS:	the United Nations has defined violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life"; and
WHEREAS:	the many forms of violence to which women are subjected are not simply examples of random victimization, but are associated with inequality between women and men and are strategies to perpetuate or entrench that inequality; and
WHEREAS:	government has an obligation to prevent, investigate and punish acts of violence and to provide protection for victims, and as individuals we all have an obligation to change attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate the violence; and
WHEREAS:	the City supports the development of strategies and the enhancement of programs and services and is taking a leadership role to end violence against women.
NOW,
THEREFORE:	I, Mayor Mel Lastman, on behalf of Toronto City Council and the 2.5 million people of our great City, do hereby proclaim September 2003 as "Violence Against Women Awaremess Month" in the City of Toronto and encourage everyone to join the fight to stop violence towards women.

[Signed Mayor Mel Lastman]