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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Family Violence Awareness Week was launched on Monday at the legislative assembly with the health minister, RCMP and service agencies in attendance.

"Reach out and help people who we think are being abused," said Sandy Lee, minister of Health and Social Services. "Hold people accountable for violence. Bring it out in the open."

The theme for the ninth annual awareness week was Honour Resistance: Violence is always resisted.

"Family Violence Week was first sponsored in 1999," Lee said in her speech. "We have come a long way since then. Our efforts have resulted in legislation for emergency protection orders, the signing of a victims services protocol with the RCMP and the establishment of new victim referral services in Aklavik, Paulatuk, Behchoko, Gameti and Whati."

She also mentioned the NWT government has provided $340,000 for enhanced funding for shelter services and $450,000 to be used in creating new services in regions where there is no family violence shelter, in the development of the Yellowknife Interagency Family Violence Protocol and to support the Children Who Witness Abuse program at the YWCA as well as inter-agency protocols for service.

RCMP Sgt. Brad Kaeding said family violence is a difficult problem that affects the entire community. He said RCMP and Victims Services have set up a territory-wide referral protocol designed to assist victims of crime.

"Everyone in the family and the community is affected by family violence," said Kaeding. "Family violence is not a simple issue or easy to solve."

"We want a cohesive system," said Lyda Fuller, executive director of the Yellowknife YWCA. "We don't want people falling through the gaps."