Violence Prevention Southwest, formed in 2006, consists of representatives from the three local coordinating committees:
- Peaceful Communities (Port aux Basques, the Codroy Valley and southwestern Newfoundland coastal communities)
- The HELP Committee (Burgeo)
- The Bay St. George Coalition to End Violence (Bay St. George South, Stephenville and the Port au Port Peninsula)
Each of these three committees works to engage the support of all stakeholders in our communities to address issues of violence. We work together with schools, businesses, churches, law enforcement, health professionals, government agencies and other community organizations to spread the word that violence prevention is everyone’s responsibility.
In April 2006, the government of Newfoundland and Labrador launched a six year violence prevention plan “Taking Action Against Violence”. Currently, the Southwestern Coalition to End Violence is working to promote the aims of the province’s Violence Prevention Initiative; to collectively find solutions to the problem of violence against the most vulnerable members of our society.