NDP Leader Howard Hampton and NDP Women’s Critic Andrea Horwath kicked off Woman Abuse Prevention Month in Ontario today by demanding the McGuinty Liberals stop refusing to meet with a coalition of women’s groups.

“In June, over 50 women wrote to Dalton McGuinty,” said Hampton. “They requested a meeting to discuss critical issues facing women in Ontario today – including child care, violence, and poverty. The Premier ignored them. He never responded and the meeting never happened. It’s time for the Premier to right this wrong and meet with women’s organizations immediately.”

A broad coalition of women’s groups rallied at Queen’s Park to draw attention to their new “Step it Up” campaign, aimed at ending violence against women. The campaign calls on the McGuinty government to address the root causes of woman abuse – including inadequate housing, income inequality, lack of access to child care and other services.

Andrea Horwath, NDP Critic for women’s issues, also called on the Premier to meet with women’s groups and increase their core funding. "The McGuinty Liberals promised to fix the social safety net that traps women and children in violent homes and makes it impossible for them to leave abusive partners," said Horwath. “Ontario’s domestic violence action plan is inadequate, and McGuinty’s policies and lack of action are real barriers to change.”

Horwath and Hampton called on the Premier to act during Woman Abuse Prevention Month to address the coalition’s 10 steps to end violence against women. “The NDP has always recognized that it takes a broad, community effort to continue the fight for women’s equality,” said Horwath. “Adequate child care, employment supports, anti-discrimination rules, adequate housing, an end to the baby bonus clawback – these must be in place and work together to make a real difference in the lives of women.”