A new lifeline in TLTI for survivors
LANSDOWNE – The Ontario government is investing more than $227,000 over three years into a new rural initiative, based in the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands, aimed at preventing gender-based violence and supporting survivors in isolated communities.
On Friday afternoon, inside the Victim Services office on Jessie Street in Lansdowne, provincial leaders stood shoulder-to-shoulder with local advocates to announce a $227,607 investment over three years to launch the new Intimate Partner Violence/Gender-Based Violence Rural Community Hub initiative.
Spearheaded by Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes MPP Steve Clark, the funding is part of Ontario's wider action plan to end gender-based violence, the MPP's staff noted.
It focuses on a persistent problem that cuts especially deep in rural areas like TLTI, where victims, isolated by distance and often without easy access to help, too often suffer in silence.
'With this investment, we're ensuring that Victim Services of Leeds and Grenville has the resources they need to support survivors in our community and to do their vital work of preventing gender-based violence,' said Clark. 'This funding is particularly important in rural communities where victims can feel even more isolated and disconnected from the services and supports they require.'
The initiative's centerpiece is a fully mobile, community-focused model: a family support worker will travel directly to individuals and families across the township and beyond, meeting them in their homes or safe community spaces rather than waiting for them to cross large distances to reach an office.
The early intervention program will prioritize non-Criminal Code intimate partner violence cases, aiming to prevent situations from escalating into crisis.
Cecilia Clapson, executive director of Victim Services of Leeds and Grenville, described the project as a new front in a difficult battle.
'We are thrilled to launch this project focusing on education, prevention, and partnerships,' she said. 'Transportation barriers are a very real issue in rural communities like ours. This model brings the help to where it's needed most.'
Charmaine Williams, Ontario's associate minister of women's social and economic opportunity, praised the approach, noting the government's commitment to strengthening community-based services and building pathways for survivors toward healing and financial security.
'I look forward to seeing how these new projects and their innovative approaches will help address gender-based violence in communities across Ontario,' said Williams.
Keith Dempsey is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Brockville Recorder and Times. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Botulism cases linked to Botox injections under investigation in Massachusetts
Massachusetts health officials are investigating four recent cases of suspected botulism connected to cosmetic injections of Botox. The outbreak on the South Shore prompted the Department of Public Health to warn health care providers to be alert about symptoms. consistent with botulism occurring after botulinum toxin injections. Botox is widely used for cosmetic purposes to reduce wrinkles and fine lines. 'While generally safe when administered by trained professionals, improper dosing, administration technique, or use of non-FDA-approved products may increase the risk of systemic botulism symptoms,' the DPH advisory said. Botulism, though rare, can be fatal. It occurs when botulinum toxin enters the bloodstream and can produce effects far from the injection site, according to the advisory. Initial botulism symptoms include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and breathing problems, according to state health officials. These symptoms may progress to muscle weakness that worsens over hours to days. Anybody who is experiencing any symptoms should go to an emergency room. 'This is very rare,' South Shore Hospital infectious disease specialist Dr. Todd Ellerin told WCVB. 'We call it iatrogenic botulism, which means you get it as a complication of an injection. It is very rare.' The DPH has not released details about the condition of the four individuals involved in the South Shore cases or information about the provider or facility where they received their injections. How pink heart shaped fentanyl led to Mass. father's 18-year prison sentence ICE deportation blocked by Boston judge: Migrants now in shipping container in Djibouti Mass. State Lottery winner: Father will take children to Disney with $100K prize Former police deputy chief, school resource officer convicted of child rape Mass. casino winner: $2.50 bet won gambler jackpot prize ``` Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
EMA says Ozempic, Wegovy may cause rare eye condition
-- The European Medicines Agency's (EMA) safety committee, PRAC, said Friday that it has concluded that Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION), a rare eye condition that can lead to vision loss, is a "very rare side effect" of semaglutide medicines, including Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy. The medications, owned by Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO), are widely used for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. Following a comprehensive review of all available data, including non-clinical studies, clinical trials, post-marketing surveillance, and medical literature, PRAC determined that NAION "may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people taking semaglutide." The firm explained that several large epidemiological studies indicate that adults with type 2 diabetes taking semaglutide face "an approximately two-fold increase in the risk of developing NAION" compared to those not on the medication. This is said to translate to about "one additional case of NAION per 10,000 person-years of treatment." The EMA added that clinical trial data also pointed to a "slightly higher risk" for those on semaglutide versus placebo. As a result, the EMA said it has recommended updating the product information for semaglutide medicines to include NAION as a "very rare" side effect. They conclude that patients experiencing "a sudden loss of vision or rapidly worsening eyesight" while on semaglutide are advised to contact their doctor immediately. If NAION is confirmed, "treatment with semaglutide should be stopped,' states the EMA. Related articles EMA says Ozempic, Wegovy may cause rare eye condition Virgin Galactic stock jumps on SpaceX competition speculation Vera Therapeutics stock sinks following competitor's successful trial
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Cancer Risk at Air Force Missiles Sites Low 'But Not Zero,' Latest Service Data Shows
Airmen who watched over America's nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles in Cold War-era facilities faced marginally higher risk of cancer due to contaminants found there and more workplace oversight is needed, according to the latest findings of an Air Force health study. Air Force Global Strike Command, during a town hall event Wednesday, released the latest data showing the slightly elevated cancer risk as part of its ongoing probe into health concerns for America's missileers, maintainers and other support roles at several bases in the Midwest and Western U.S. The lifetime cancer risk for all Americans is around 39%, and the Air Force's Health Risk Assessment found rates of 39.9% to 40.13% for men and women if they would have served anywhere from eight to 70 years in those jobs. Service officials said consistent workplace inspections and monitoring would likely be necessary to address the risks, which are caused by the presence of chemicals and toxins. Read Next: Army Faces Backlash over Plan to Divert Barracks Funds to Border Mission Contaminants linked to cancer were found during a series of environmental studies at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, and Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. "In summary, this health risk assessment characterizes the health risk as low but not zero," Col. Ric Speakman, the commander of the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, said during the town hall presentation. "Therefore, the appropriate action is to include missile alert facility workers in an occupational surveillance." Air Force Global Strike Command is still in the process of an ongoing epidemiological study and is gathering more data from states as well as national cancer registries before more definitive cancer and health conclusions can be made. Last year, reported in an investigative series that past probes by the Air Force into cancer concerns roughly two decades ago went ignored, and past and current missileers and nuclear missile maintainers raised alarms about the environmental conditions, toxins and chemical dangers they faced while in uniform. They believe the conditions made them sick. In the wake of reporting, the service announced changes that included new workplace inspections and health record tracking, and the spouse of a missileer who died from non-Hodgkin lymphoma was able to secure Department of Veterans Affairs benefits related to his death. While polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, were one of the known outlawed carcinogenes that the Air Force's remediation efforts focused on, research shown during Wednesday's town hall showed there were other toxins detected as well that were factored into the service's health risk assessment. "Although only PCBs were detected at levels above the Environmental Protection Agency's standards for cleanup and remediation, the environmental sampling was sensitive enough to detect chemicals such as benzene and chloroform at levels well below standards for remediation," a Thursday news release from Air Force Global Strike Command following the town hall said. The Torchlight Initiative, a grassroots organization that began shortly after a Space Force officer and former Air Force missileer raised concerns about non-Hodgkin lymphoma rates at Malmstrom, released its own independent study in April examining the rates of blood cancer reported in its online health registry. That study found that service members were diagnosed at younger ages compared to the wider population. Air Force Global Strike Command officials briefly mentioned that study at the town hall, stating that, "while this study is separate from the missile community cancer study, it does add to the work advocacy and the well-being of the missile community." Representatives from the Torchlight Initiative were on Capitol Hill in early April alongside other advocacy groups, and made a plea to lawmakers in hopes of expanding the PACT Act -- a 2022 law that mostly covered veterans sickened by toxic exposure in war zones -- to cover those who experienced health issues stateside as well. "The Torchlight Initiative is happy to hear that Global Strike and U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine are still working on their long-term study and research," the organization said in a statement to on Thursday. "However, our focus and energy remains with the families who are disproportionately affected by these cancers and illnesses." The remaining data in the ongoing health study is slated to be released in late 2025. Gen. Thomas Bussiere, the head of Air Force Global Strike Command, said during the town hall he would advocate for a registry, if the VA also supported such a move, based on the study's findings. "The level of interest and oversight with the Department of the Air Force and Congress has not waned, and I'm very thankful and happy with the interest and actions on the part of the VA," Bussiere said in a news release after the town hall. "They've been great partners, and I anticipate they will continue to be great partners." Related: Independent Study Raises Alarm About Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma at Malmstrom Air Force Base
