Violence Prevention South and Central

09/09/2026

💜 Take Back the Night is for you.

VPSC is proud to be collaborating with Status of Women Central - SWC, The Journey Project - NL and other community partners for Take Back the Night next week, and we’d love to see you there.

But maybe you’re wondering… what exactly is Take Back the Night?

It’s an opportunity to come together as a community, raise awareness about sexual violence, honour the experiences and voices of survivors, and stand together for safer communities where everyone can feel safe, respected and like they belong.

And you don’t need to know anything about Take Back the Night to come.

Check out the PhotoVoice exhibition.
Meet local organizations and community partners.
Connect.
Learn about the work happening in our community.
Support.
Simply see what it’s all about.

There is no pressure to participate. There is no “right” way to be there.

Are you a girl? Come.
Are you a woman? Come.
Are you Two-Spirit or LGBTQIA+? Come.
Are you Indigenous? Come.
Are you new to Canada or new to our community? Come.
Do you support the girls and women in your life? Come.
Curious about what VPSC, Status of Women Central or other community organizations do? Come.
Never been to an event like this before? Come.

You belong here.

And if you choose to join us for the march, you’ll be walking alongside people from our community who believe that everyone deserves to feel safe, supported, respected and valued.

We march for the women and girls who came before us.
We march for those who cannot march with us.
And we march for those who will march next year, and the year after that, and long after we are gone.

This is about connection. Support. Belonging. Showing up for one another.

There’s room for you here.

Everyone is welcome. Always. 💜

Come as you are. We hope to see you there. Details below 👇🏾

09/02/2026

💜 We want to hear from you!

Do you work in Newfoundland and Labrador? We’re looking for anyone who works- regardless of where you work or who your employer is- to take a few minutes to complete our survey about Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the workplace.

We want to hear what you’ve experienced, what you think is working, what isn’t, and what supports or resources would be helpful.

Your feedback will help us better understand what’s happening across NL and help shape practical resources for safer, more supportive workplaces.

🎁 Plus, everyone who completes the survey and provides an email address will be entered for a chance to win one of several $50 gift cards!

📱 Scan the QR code to take the survey- and please share this post so we can hear from as many people as possible!

Your voice matters. 💜

👉 Unable to scan the QR code? No problem! Here’s the link to the survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScsTZCwVZm530MKBZX7s5Cw7Kkut9vOZ59iOVlOqhey_49DCg/viewform

08/31/2026

Today is International Overdose Awareness Day 💜

Come out to Church Road Park from 12–2 PM to learn, connect, and show your support.

There will be FREE Naloxone training and lots of great community partners there. You don’t have to know anything about Naloxone — come by, check it out, and learn something new!

Everyone is welcome. 💜

💜 International Overdose Awareness Day — Come Join Us! 💜

Join us for a FREE, family-friendly event as we come together to remember, raise awareness, reduce stigma, and connect our community with support and resources.

There will be something for everyone, including:
🎲 Activities & games
🎁 Prize draws
💉 Naloxone training
🌭 BBQ
💜 Harm reduction resources
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family-friendly activities such as bouncy castles and more!!!

We’re proud to be partnering with some wonderful organizations to make this event possible, including:

Violence Prevention South and Central
Status of Women Central - SWC
Newfoundland & Labrador Housing & Homelessness Network
Central Housing and Homelessness Network
Community Sector Council Newfoundland and Labrador
Town of Grand Falls-Windsor
First Step - Home

Come out, bring the family, grab some food, play some games, learn something new, and connect with your community.
Everyone is welcome. We’d love to see you there! 💜

Please share! 😊

08/24/2026

Sharing on behalf of CMHA--several FREE upcoming mental health trainings
On Sept 10, (World Su***de Awareness Day), there will be a free safeTALK happening in GFW from 4:30 to 8:30 PM at First Step Home, 83 King Street. Participants must by 15+ to attend. The link to register for this training is here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/safetalk-grand-falls-windsor-world-suicide-prevention-day-tickets-1997483546057?aff=oddtdtcreator

There will also be 2 virtual Mental Health First Aid classes offered under our Resiliency Project for communities affected by wildfires. These classes run from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Participants must be 18+ to attend.

The first is on Sept 24: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/mental-health-first-aid-virtual-resilience-project-tickets-1997460160109?aff=oddtdtcreator

And another virtual MHFA is on Oct 19: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/mental-health-first-aid-virtual-resilience-project-tickets-1997460300529?aff=oddtdtcreator

There will also be two FREE ASIST trainings taking place in GFW and Gander.

The GFW ASIST is scheduled for Sept 28 and 29. Participants must be 16+ to attend and the link to register is here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/asist-grand-falls-windsor-resilience-project-tickets-1997610617130

The ASIST for Gander will occur on October 7 & 8. The link to register for the course is here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/asist-gander-resilience-project-tickets-1998225211398

You may also visit Canadian Mental Health Association NL 's website at www.cmhanl.ca to find training events near you.

Welcome to the CMHA Newfoundland & Labrador branch website. Canadian Mental Health Association Newfoundland & Labrador branch facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and improve mental health...

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

Gender-based violence is widespread throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Rates are increasing, affecting individuals, families and communities. In response to the ongoing and devastating impacts, today the Honourable Tony Wakeham, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Honourable Lela Evans,...

05/15/2026

Earlier this week, we were at Exploits Valley Intermediate School with all Grade 9 students for Consent & Cupcakes 🧁

This interactive workshop uses cupcakes to start conversations about consent, boundaries, respect, and healthy relationships. While some groups were quieter than others, many students shared thoughtful ideas, asked questions and took part in the activities.

Here are a few photos of students showing off their “dream cupcakes”... a fun activity that helped get the conversation started!

A special thank you to Mr. V. Clarke for always inviting us in and helping create opportunities to connect with youth in the school.

05/08/2026

There’s more than one way to be a mom and gender equality means recognizing and respecting every experience. 💐

This weekend, we celebrate mothers in all their diversity: birth mothers, adoptive moms, stepmothers, grandmothers, chosen family, caregivers, and all those who offer love, guidance, and care in a mothering role.

Every journey is different, shaped by culture, family, circumstance, and choice.

💐 Happy Mother’s Day to all those celebrating

04/24/2026

During National Volunteer Week, we extend our sincere gratitude to our dedicated Board of Directors. Your leadership, guidance, and commitment are invaluable to the work we do at VPSC.

Thank you for sharing your time, expertise, and passion in support of our mission. Your contributions help create safer, stronger communities.

We are grateful for each of you:
Jillian Maloney
Tiffany Drover
Sarah Kelly
David Oxford
Jackie Thompson
Alex Young
Laura Vardy
Kerri Randell

04/21/2026

Are you starting a new relationship or questioning some of the behaviours that you are seeing in your current relationship?

No matter how long you’ve been together, you should look for indicators of an unhealthy or abusive relationship. The most common red flags include:

• Isolation. Your current partner tries to isolate you from your support system, including family and friends, controlling what you do, where you go and who you see or talk to.

• Intimidation. They try to instill fear by raising their voice, standing over you while they yell or smashes things around you.

• Threats. They threaten to harm you or your loved ones (like your friends, family or pets), or threaten to harm themselves if you leave them.

• Jealousy. Your partner shows possessive or jealous behaviours. Jealousy does not represent love, it indicates a lack of trust or insecurity.

• Belittling. Your partner tries to convince you that you are nothing without them and that no one else would want you.

• Blame and shame. They may minimize the abuse, deny that it took place or shift the blame onto you, saying you caused it.

• Control. Your partner exerts control over aspects of your life. For example, they may control your finances, your access to a vehicle, the internet or your cell phone, or even the type of clothing you wear.

• Tracking. They may demand access to your cell phone, social media, and may follow you or show up unexpectedly at places where you are.

These red flags should not be ignored.

Each of these represent a form of control within the relationship. Relationships that are based on control often escalate to physical violence.

If you (or someone you care about) are in an unhealthy or abusive relationship, you are not alone.

Help is available from police, provincial supports and community-based organizations across Newfoundland and Labrador.

You can find more information about supports in your area at gov.nl.ca/vpi/information-about-violence/where-to-get-help/.