Proactive Violence Prevention Project

Lower Similkameen Community Services Society
310 Veterans Avenue, Keremeos, BC
Mail: 720 Third Street, Keremeos, BC V0X 1N3

Admin@lscss.com
250 499 2352

The Lower Similkameen’s Proactive Violence Prevention Project – (PVPP)

OUR MOTTO

“Safety in our Communities, Safety in our Homes”

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

“PVPP seeks to engage Similkameen Valley residents and workers of both genders and all age levels in recognition of the existence, forms, depth, scope, and roots of violence in our society, our communities, and our homes; and through education, awareness, and action to end this violence in our communities and promote peace, safety, and mutual respect for everyone.”

OUR FOUR-FOLD FOCUS

1. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE (Spousal and Child)

2. BULLYING and CYBER-BULLYING

3. SEXUAL ASSAULT and DATE RAPE

4. ELDER ABUSE

OUR STRATEGIES

To increase community awareness regarding each of our focus areas through newspaper articles, posters, public meetings, and presentations to local organizations.

To communicate and cooperate with existing organizations, programs and resources that share our concerns, such as our local schools, our Village Council, Stop the Violence Women’s Counseling, Children Who Witness Abuse Counseling, Family Services, the police, and RCMP Victim Services.

To invite, recruit, and involve individuals, couples, families, groups of friends, businesses, and existing local organizations to participate in creating, planning, promoting, and presenting both ongoing programs and special events.

To coordinate our efforts with existing locally, provincially and nationally designated annual Focus Days and Weeks.

“MEN TOGETHER – Saying NO to Violence to Women and Children” is the FIRST PHASE of the PVPP’s ongoing efforts, specifically addressing domestic abuse. Recognizing that men are responsible for over 90% of domestic violence, local men are uniting their voices in opposition to this destructive behavior. We encourage all males age 16 and older to join “MEN TOGETHER”.

THE SECOND PHASE will reach out to abusers themselves, appealing to them to stop their violent behaviors, and to seek help if they need it. PVPP is now actively working to identify area resources presently available to these men, as well as to consider the provision of local resources.

Both men and women who recognize abusive tendencies or behaviors in themselves, especially with regard to their family members, can discuss and explore options confidentially and anonymously with a counselor, at no cost. Call LSCSS at 250 499 2352 to speak with the PVPP Coordinator for a referral.

OUR INVITATION

If you resonate with our Motto and see the value of our Mission Statement for our valley community, please contact us to discuss how you can help. You can consider serving on our Coordinating Committee, or to help with just one event, or one of our four Focus Areas. “How can I help?” is a question we love to hear!

To share your ideas and concerns, or for more information please call LSCSS at 250-499-2352.

And thank you.

Initiated in the Spring of 2010 by Lower Similkameen Community Services Society in cooperation with the Keremeos RCMP Detachment, the Project received its seed-funding from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Victim Services and Crime Prevention Division. This project is envisioned as a long-term broad-based Valley project with a growing grass-roots “ownership” and shared volunteer leadership, its initial coordination is provided by RCMP Victim Services – an LSCSS Program.

OUR ENDORSERS

Village of Keremeos	Keremeos Search and Rescue
Similkameen Country	Keremeos Kyokushin Karate
RDOS Area B	Lower Similkameen Community Services
RDOS Area G	Keremeos Volunteer Fire Department
Keremeos RCMP	Keremeos-Cawston Sportsmen Association
Citizens On Patrol	BC Ambulance Services – Keremeos Station
School District # 53	Keremeos-Cawston Ecumenical Parish

Programs