I argue that this forum is, in the words of the philosopher Herben Marcuse, an "obsolete form of struggle" which impedes the liberation of women from violence as power and control. This forum forces women to use "white male" tools to research and define issues and seek solutions based on the male myth of objectivity.

Secondly, the issues and concerns for violence against women and children have already been identified and studied to death, literally! Women and children continue to die from unprovoked, sadistic acts of violence, and many more continue to exist in horrific life-threatening situations, while we define and study the problem. The need for immediate concrete action which results in change of the system is required, now! Change in balance of power and change in behaviors and attitudes is also required, now!

Ask any woman who has been subject to violence, and she will tell you that she could sense, feel, that she was going to be beaten. Women draw on their emotion for this knowledge, not on objectified and researched material, and they are accurate in their perceptions. This knowledge and perception needs to be validated, acknowledged, accepted and dealt with, from a female holistic perspective.

Given today's economic, political, and social climate, violence (power and control) against women and their children is again on the rise. Traditional male models and concepts, though they have been unsuccessful in the past, continue to be used to identify the problem and seek solutions. With no change in perspective, I see only doom for women and children. Women's ways of understanding, evaluating and seeking solutions must be used. Coupled with the aboriginal holistic perspective and way of life, these ways will provide new solutions and changes necessary to build a future without violence.

Recently, I have seen the beginning of a shift from assistance for women and their children to assistance for men, who in most cases are the perpetrators of violence. It is satisfying to see some responsibility and accountability for the impact of violent behavior and the need for men to deal with this. However, I feel emotionally drained by this focus on men's healing when I hear women speak of healing their partners and their communities. I do not disagree that all need to be healed, but not at the expense and exclusion of women and their children. Again I see signs of male linear logic, power and control and half-hearted attempts for change, only to maintain the present power/control systems. I remain very skeptical.

Some solutions to consider are:

• Teaching of and commitment to female perspective and holistic models of living, learning, problem-solving and government.
• Coordinated efforts to alleviate violence, recognizing it is based on white male needs for power, control and oppression (new model will be female-oriented and holistic in nature).
• Breaking the silence - refusing to play along with the present systems that allow men to continue to subject women and their children to acts of violence and power and control; speaking of the root cause, power and control, when we speak of violence.
• Long-term funding for necessary programs that address all areas as part of a holistic model. Fragmented and short-term funding impede change and maintain if not make many situations worse than they were before.
• Need to ensure women and children are not further displaced and victimized as men begin to focus on healing themselves.
• Ideologies of truth, fairness, justice and law all require immediate change as they are presently defined and applied by male linear logic terms; new principles must include female-oriented, spiral and holistic perspectives of same.

I believe women are spiritually powerful and have gained much positive life energy and knowledge in the past ten years. I believe this energy will continue to grow and that women will very soon take their rightful places as leaders.

Wanita Koczka is Deputy Director of Pine Grove Correctional Centre, Saskatchewan's only female correctional facility, where she has a unique perspective on violence, power, and control with respect to women in conflict with the law.