Blue Bombers launch anti-violence against women campaign

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are starting a campaign to tackle an "epidemic" in Canada. Break the Silence on Violence Against Women launches Tuesday at Elmwood High School.

The football club partnered with the province of Manitoba and the federal government to lead 120 presentations on violence against women over the next three years, a news release Monday said.

• Blue Bombers launch campaign to end violence against women, girls
• Manitoba remembers female victims of violence

Bombers players have scheduled at least16 assemblies and workshops for high school students in Winnipeg this spring alone, the release said.

Matt Bucknor, defensive back and Matthias Goossen, centre, will be leading the discussion at Elmwood on Tuesday.

"For years, violence against women has been an issue championed by women," said Hannah Rose Pratt, manager of community relations for the Winnipeg Football Club, in Monday's news release.

"We're so proud of our players who stepped up as ambassadors for this program in our community," she is quoted as saying.

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In August the CFL released its policy on violence against women which includes annual mandatory training on violence prevention. The league also has the authority to impose sanctions on players or employees who violate the new league policy.

"Violence against women is happening at an epidemic level across our country," said TracyPorteousin August. She's chair of the Ending Violence Association of Canada.

Half of all Canadian women have experienced physical or sexual violence, according to Statistics Canada.