Healthy relationships form the foundation for healthy development of children and youth. Bullying is a relationship problem and a critical issue in Canada. In recent years, there have been many severe cases of Canadian children who have died or were seriously injured due to bullying. These tragedies have elicited recognition of the seriousness of bullying problems both for children who bully and children who are victimized. In a recent World Health Organization Health Behaviours in School-aged Children survey, Canada ranked 26^th and 27^th out of 35 countries on the measure of bullying and victimization. Across all ages and categories of bullying and victimization, Canada consistently ranked at or below the middle of the international group. These data expose Canada's need for a national strategy on bullying.

PREVNET – Promoting Relationships to Eliminate Violence Network provides the groundwork for this national strategy. PREVNet brings together 23 researchers from 17 Canadian universities and 34 NGOs and other partners to promote safe and healthy relationships for Canadian children and youth. The goal of the network is to create socio-cultural change in Canada by reducing the negative use of power and aggression in relationships. This goal will be achieved by providing NGOs and governments with the capacity to tailor and disseminate scientifically-based resources to build awareness, change attitudes, assess bullying, implement evidence-based strategies, and develop policies that promote and support these activities within every community in Canada.

The expertise from NGOs, government ministries and the diverse fields of research expertise will be integrated and linked in a multidisciplinary network. Researchers will collaborate with NGOs, governments, and other partners to exchange and translate knowledge for the development of education, assessment, intervention, and policy related to bullying. As network partners, NGOs and government ministries offer channels to disseminate knowledge to their constituents across Canada. Through these partnerships, the outcomes of improved understanding and practice will enhance social capital, and promote mental and physical health, healthy relationships, school engagement, and crime prevention.

Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network - PREVNet (2005-2010)
Focus:	To develop a national strategy to reduce problems of bullying and victimization throughout Canada.
Funding:	$2 million for entire funding period
Partnership Power:	87 industry, public service and academic partners
Scientific Co-Directors:	Dr. Wendy Craig and Dr. Debra Pepler
Web site:	www.prevnet.ca