Between Oct. 24 and 28, Violence Prevention Week is recognized.
Saskatchewan Towards Offering Partnership Solutions (STOPS) initiated this year’s Violence Prevention week with the theme, “It Starts With You.”
Justice Minister and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre said, “We are happy to partner with STOPS to Violence on this initiative.” She is also encouraging communities in Saskatchewan to be aware of the signs of violence and wants everyone to speak up about it. Everyone should build a healthy life free from abuse and violence.
Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, Laura Ross said, “I commend STOPS to Violence for continuing their hard work and advocacy on this important issue, and encourage everyone to use this week to learn more about how to reduce violence in our homes, workplaces and, communities.”
For the past several years, numerous steps have been taken in the province to support survivors of interpersonal violence. These include:
- Partnering with community service providers to expand the Family Intervention Rapid Support Team (FIRST) program, made up of violence outreach teams that provide collaborative, timely services to families experiencing and using violence or displaying risk factors associated with violence in the Moose Jaw, Estevan, Weyburn, Carlyle, and Nipawin areas.
- Expanding the Victim Advocate Case Review project, which provides civilian sexual assault experts access to police sexual assault files to determine challenges and identify opportunities to improve investigation outcomes.
- Extending mandatory, early family dispute resolution across the province to increase access to justice services and provide additional support to families.
- Introducing two new Family Law Screening Officers with the Court of King ’s Bench in Regina and Saskatoon who will help identify and address interpersonal violence affecting families going through separation and divorce proceedings.
- Continuing the Seeking Safety from Interpersonal Violence stream of the Saskatchewan Housing Benefit (SHB), available to people leaving interpersonal violence situations to help them find a new place to live independently and safely. More information is available at: www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/housing-and-renting/renting-and-leasing/saskatchewan-housing-benefit/seeking-safety-from-interpersonal-violence-stream.
“It starts with you; it starts with m;, it starts with all of us to learn, to educate, and to act in support of building communities free from violence,” stated by Tracy Knutson Executive Director of STOPS Violence.
More information about this week’s events is available here: SVPW | Stops (stopstoviolence.com).
