www.insidehalton.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, Septem ber 22, 2 0 1 7 | 1 0 MyView Info campaign makes it dear: consent is an informed yes I t' s frosh season for thousands of Ontario stu dents. That means sum m er drop offs, the excitement of new friends and experiences builds and also the tug of trepidation that comes with letting go for both parents and students. My daughter is among those students, and m y son is a returning student. So I know first-hand how exciting and challenging this time can be. As Ontario' s Minister of the Status of W om en, I w ork every day to ensure the security and em powerment of w om en and girls. But I know the reality is sexual assault rates are five times higher for wom en under the age of 35, and that onein-three w om en will experience sexual assault in their lifetime. This m ust stop. That' s a mes sage both young m en and young w om en need to hear loudly and clearly. As a government, we're working hard to make sure our students feel safe and supported in their new communities and campuses. This year, under Ontario' s Sexual Violence and Harassment Plan Act, all campuses m ust have a sexual assault policy in place for the general stu dent population and for survivors of sexual vio lence. It' s an added protection and support. F o r the third year, the messages #W hoW illYouHelp and #ItsNeverOkay are back on cam pus and on social media as part of our public education campaign It' s Never Okay: An Action Plan to Stop Sexual Violence and Harassment in Ontario. Last year we strengthened the message, with a campaign called #ConsentIsEverything. This outreach is important and it continues to change behaviour on campus and teach by standers to act when they witness sexual vio lence and harassment. The messages have been shared around the world. Universities across the province are reaching out for posters and social media for the frosh sea son. They want students to understand what it Indira Naidoo-Harris Halton MPP Ontario Minister of the Status of Women means to obtain consent. This year' s information campaign makes it clear: consent is an informed yes. Itk not silence. It can't be guessed or implied, and it' s not coerced. If someone is incapacitated, there' s no consent. Consent is everything. As a government, and as a province, we are challenging rape culture, supporting survivors of sexual violence and empowering students to raise awareness, educate and intervene when safe to do so. W e are working hard to keep On tarians safe. In addition, high-quality public educational resources are available from violence against w om en partners under Draw-the-Line/Trayonsles-limites -- a campaign that challenges com m on myths about sexual violence and equips bystanders with the skills to intervene safely and effectively Finally, as parents, we have a role to play, too. It' s important to have conversations with our sons and daughters -- to encourage them to think about and understand consent, and to not stand by when they see sexual violence and ha rassment happening. It' s the right thing to do. So this fall as students on campuses around Ontario, take a m om ent to think about how we can all w ork together to keep our young people, safe and successful, I'd like to wish every student in Ontario a great year. -- Ontario Minister o f the Status o f Women, and Halton MPP Indira Naidoo-Harris, Eighteen Halton police officers join in the Run to Remember fallen peers Eighteen Halton police officers will participate in an annual run in honour of fallen police officers. The Run to Remember is a 4 60-k m relay run from the Ontario Police Memorial in Toronto to the National Police Memorial in Ottawa. The event began Thursday (Sept. 2 1 ) and is completed by police from across Canada to raise awareness for the National Police Memorial and to raise funds for the families of officers w ho have lost their lives in the line of duty. "Our officers have made a personal com m itm ent to train and participate in this event," said Sgt. M ark Dienstmann of the Halton police Tactical Rescue U nit and run coordinator. "I am very proud our officers recognize the importance of honouring those w ho have made the ultimate sacrifice. Each kilometre they run signifies their dedication to n ot only those w ho have fallen, but also to their families w ho are left behind." The Halton police participants will join nearly 3 0 0 other officers from 2 2 different police agencies. The run has grown substantially since it began in 2 0 0 5 with just 2 4 participants. We can help you with your home healthcare needs and we'll do it with a smile access abilities Your ability store.Our passion. 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