About us

METRAC works to prevent and eliminate violence against diverse women, youth and children. We are committed to the right of women, youth and children to live free of violence and the threat of violence.

Our work is informed by anti-oppression principles. Anti-oppression work recognizes that women, youth and children experience violence in different ways depending on factors such as their ethno-racial backgrounds, income levels, sexualities, gender identities, abilities and ages. Anti-violence measures must address the distinctive experiences of diverse individuals and communities.

METRAC uses an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach. We work in partnership with individuals, community groups, organizations and services, governments, institutions, educators, urban planners and health and legal professionals.

About METRAC brochure: PDF (120 KB)

Our history

METRAC’s beginnings date back to the summer of 1982 when a number of brutal sexual assaults and murders of women occurred in the City of Toronto. A group of women organized themselves as “The Toronto Pink Ribbon Committee” to demand that something be done. The committee approached the Metro Toronto Chair in office at the time, Paul Godfrey. Acting on their suggestions in collaboration with the Metropolitan Toronto Board of Commissioners of Police, a task force to examine public violence against women and children was established. The task force worked with Metro Toronto staff and council members, more than 80 individual community volunteers, local experts and community and service agencies. A Final Report of their efforts was released in March 1984. It recommended the Metropolitan Toronto Council appoint a body to implement all of the report’s recommendations. The “Metropolitan Action Committee on Public Violence Against Women and Children” was then established. A ten-member Board of Directors was appointed, headed by Toronto lawyer and then-Police Commissioner Jane Pepino.

ReAct: celebrating 10 years of youth preventing violence

In 2001, Respect in Action (ReAct) was founded by a young woman at METRAC. In spite of great youth programming available across Toronto, she realized the need for youth-led prevention work to address gender-based violence against women and youth. She was inspired by popular education approaches – meaningful and effective education can’t happen “top-down”. Everyone must be included as learners and teachers, experts of their own experiences. And they need a safe space to connect social power dynamics with their own day-to-day lives. It’s the only way to understand how violence is perpetuated and break the cycle.

The research was clear – peer-based violence prevention works. Through a start-up grant from United Way Toronto, ReAct was launched as “The Young Women’s Anti-Violence Speakers Bureau”. The team consisted of two co-coordinators and a dozen young women Peer Facilitators. They decided how the group would run itself and reach out to youth, youth workers and educators. They worked to grow their own peer facilitation skills. They created their own interactive, youth-friendly workshops on sexual assault and date rape, dating violence, stalking and emotional abuse.

The Young Women’s Anti-Violence Speakers Bureau was a hit. Peer Facilitators were blowing the lid off of rarely discussed matters of violence in the lives of youth, especially young women. Those early days were not without their challenges. Funding was temporary and the “for youth, by youth” program model was new to the organization, rather unique in the violence against women sector as a whole. Current issues in violence, challenges in meeting needs of youth with limited resources and the addition of young men allies as Peer Facilitators were all part of the growing pains. But we never lost excitement over what dynamic, dedicated youth could do to make a difference.

A decade has passed. The Young Women’s Anti-Violence Speakers Bureau is now ReAct and by no means done with growing pains. There’s so much we must do – combat ageism and build an ever-stronger voice of youth within the organization; find elusive resources to support the financial and human requirements of the program; continue to tap into youth communities and take their lead; and build an organizational environment of mentorship and decision-making shared between and amongst youth and adults. The strengthening work never ends and the challenges never lose their urgency. Yet this reality remains in METRAC’s ReAct Youth Violence Prevention Program: there is no end to what dynamic, dedicated youth can do and are doing to make a difference.

Youth aren't the problem. They're the solution.

Wendy Komiotis
Executive Director, METRAC

Community partners

Below is a list of some of METRAC's past and present community partners.

Newsletters and annual reports

2011 Fall Newsletter: Integrating Art into Violence PreventionPDF (670 KB)
2011 Spring Newsletter: ReAct: 10 Years of Youth Preventing ViolencePDF (540 KB)
2010 Annual ReportPDF (722 KB)
2010 Fall Newsletter: Taking Action on Community SafetyPDF (444 KB)
2010 Spring Newsletter: Do JusticePDF (184 KB)
2009 Annual ReportPDF (254 KB)
2009 Fall Newsletter: Challenging Violence Through TechnologyPDF (192 KB)
2009 Spring Newsletter: Engaging Boys and Men to Help Prevent Violence Against Women and GirlsPDF (201 KB)
2008 Annual ReportPDF (199 KB)
2008 Fall Newsletter: To the Soul: Faith and Spiritual Communities Addressing Violence Against WomenPDF (425 KB)
2008 Spring Newsletter: Where We're At: School Safety and Young WomenPDF (361 KB)
2007 Annual ReportPDF (297 KB)
2007 Fall Newsletter: Youth Violence and Gender on the AgendaPDF (455 KB)
2007 Spring Newsletter: Trafficking of Women and GirlsPDF (355 KB)
2006 Annual ReportPDF (441 KB)
2006 Fall Newsletter: Focus on Sexual ViolencePDF (759 KB)
2006 Spring Newsletter: Connecting Poverty and ViolencePDF (1.02 MB)
2005 Annual ReportPDF (846 KB)
2005 Fall Newsletter: Powers That Be: Linking Authority and ViolencePDF (983 KB)
2005 Spring Newsletter: Envisioning a Safer Society for AllPDF (4.55 MB)
2004 Annual ReportPDF (970 KB)
2004 Fall Newsletter: Celebrating 20 Years of CommunityPDF (2.06 MB)
2003 Annual ReportPDF (1.59 MB)
2002 Summer NewsletterPDF (397 KB)