-51% of Canadian women have been victims of at least one act of physical or sexual violence. -Canadian women make up 86% of sexual assault victims, 78% of criminal harassment victims, 67% of kidnapping or hostage-taking victims. -54% of female sexual assault victims are under the age of 18; 34% are between 12-17 years of age; 20% are under the age of 12. -Women under 25 years of age make up the highest risk group, especially if they try to leave an abusive relationship. -77% of female victims were victimized by someone they know (37% by a close friend or acquaintance, 29% by a current or past partner, 11% by family members/parents). -21% of female victims were abused during pregnancy. -Low income and alcohol abuse by male partners are linked to higher rates of assaults against women. -64% of women are somewhat or very worried while waiting for public transportation after dark as compared to 29% of men. -29% of women are worried while home alone in the evening as compared to 12% of men. -18% of women are worried when walking home alone at night as compared with 6% of men. -Four of five spousal homicide victims are female. -Female victims are killed by stabbing (29%), shooting (26%), beating (19%), strangulation (17%). -Aboriginal women are particularly vulnerable -- spousal homicide rates among aboriginal women are eight times higher than the rates for non-aboriginal women. source: Status of Women Canada

The campaign won't save 13-year-old Jennifer Naglingniq's life, but officials hope the $30,000 initiative will at least play a small role to end the violence that plagues the lives of women and children in Nunavut.

Though men do occasionally experience violence at the hands of women, officials estimate females of all ages -- and aboriginal women in particular -- are victimized by violence far more often than men. For example, 51 per cent of all Canadian women have experienced at least one act of physical or sexual violence.

Females make up 85 per cent of spousal assault victims, 86 per cent of sexual assault victims, 78 per cent of criminal harassment victims and 67 per cent of kidnapping/hostage-taking or abduction victims.

Furthermore, the economic and health-related impacts of violence against women cost Canadian taxpayers up to $4.2 billion a year.

Painful to see

The images on the government's new posters are graphic, yet startlingly real.

One shows a close-up picture of a badly beaten Inuk woman clinging to a small child. The other depicts a young Inuk boy hiding from an impending sexual assault. Some people would argue the posters are too extreme. Many know they don't go far enough to address the magnitude of the problem of violence in Nunavut and in Canada.

Maureen Doherty, the executive director of Qulliit, Nunavut's Status of Women Council, said she hopes the posters shock residents around the territory into action.

The significance of Naglingniq's murder occurring on Canada's National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women reinforced Doherty's professional and personal commitment to work towards ending such rampant crime.

"They are powerful visual images," said Doherty, who spoke to Naglingniq's classmates about violence-related issues following the teen's death.

"Hopefully it will spark interest and focus attention on the issues. This is just a beginning, but we want to get people to start talking about violence," she said.

Government commitment

Jack Anawak, the minister responsible for Qulliit, said the campaign doesn't do enough to address the dire situation.

"I don't think this goes far enough," he said.

Anawak said the message the government wants to send to survivors and perpetrators of violence is that such criminal activity will no longer be tolerated.

However, for many women, the violence becomes more severe when they attempt to leave an abusive relationship. This holds particularly true for women who are under 25 years of age. Though the statistics are bleak, the government's campaign stresses that if women just make the first call, help is available.

"You don't need to take (the abuse). Help is available. Call someone and tell them," said Anawak.

"These posters are an attempt to tell women that they should speak up and to tell men that real men don't abuse," he said.

The posters will be displayed in all communities in the new year and feature local telephone numbers of shelters, safe houses, health centres and RCMP detachments. They are printed in all four of Nunavut's official languages.