Sexualized violence strategy for Nova Scotia to cost $6M

The Nova Scotia government has committed $6 million to better support the victims of sexual violence and to educate youth.

Up to $500,000 of thetotal fundingwill supportyouth-run programs to educate kids from early elementary to high school about the importance of consent and other issues surrounding sexual violence.

Premier StephenMcNeiland Joanne Bernard, Nova Scotia's community services minister, launched Breaking the Silence: A Coordinated Response to Sexual Violence in Nova Scotia today inKentville.

"Sexual violence is a traumatic and pervasive problem in all of society and our province is no exception," saidMcNeil.

"This strategy calls on NovaScotiansto work together to better understand and prevent sexual violence in our communities."

According to today's announcement, over the next two years the province plans to implement the following actions:

• Help people get urgent support faster through existing crisis lines, online and other new technologies
• Expand the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program in Sydney and western Nova Scotia
• Create nine community support networks to coordinatecounsellingand support, visibility of services and help with navigation
• Establish a "prevention innovation fund to support best practices, research and evaluation"

"Whether we like it, they want to talk about it and that's positive," Bernard said.

The goal is get children talking about things like consent before they reach high school, she said.

It all stems from the highly publicized case of Rehtaeh Parsons.

Her father Glen Canning, who attended the announcement, says it's encouraging.

"If there's anything that could come out about it positive, I think initiatives like this are going to be them."

He says he's pleased the province listened and is taking steps to target the age group most affected by sexualized violence.

Parsons's family alleged she was sexually assaulted in November 2011 and bullied for months after a digital photo of the alleged assault was passed around her school.

Police said they looked into the allegations of sexual assault and an inappropriate photo, but concluded there weren't enough grounds to lay charges after consulting with the prosecution service.

A 20-year-old man pleaded guilty last November to distributing a sexually graphic image of Parsons, who was 15 years old at the time of the offence.

Another 20-year-old man pleaded guilty to making child pornography by taking a photo of the accused having sex with Parsons, who was taken off life-support after attempting suicide in 2013.

The child pornography charges were laid after Parsons died.