An alleged assault of a transgender girl in Moose Jaw has shaken members of the local LGBTQ+ community, said Moose Jaw Pride director Taylor Carlson, leaving the Pride centre working hard to provide support for those affected.
Carlson, whose pronouns are they/them, and Moose Jaw Pride first became aware of the assault earlier this week, after a video of the incident circulating on social media outlets came to their attention.
“Our sympathies and thoughts are of course with the victim and their family,” said Carlson in an interview on Thursday.
Moose Jaw Pride has already reached out to the victim and family to offer support following the incident, and they have also been in contact with both the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) and Prairie South School Division in discussion of further supports and to advocate for the victim.
“For Moose Jaw Pride, our primary concern, after the victim’s own immediate wellbeing, is making sure we create every opportunity that could possibly exist for her to be able to participate in a meaningful way in community life and her educational experience, without this assault informing the interactions she’s having with folks,” said Carlson.
Moose Jaw Police have now confirmed that the incident, which took place in the early hours of the morning on Aug. 27 near Westmount School in Moose Jaw, has been reported and is under investigation, and “charges are pending and the investigation continues.”
MJPS has also shared that the victim did not receive serious physical injuries during the incident, and have not said if they consider the assault to be related to the teen's gender.
It is unclear where the video showing the assault originated or who filmed it, but Carlson is asking anyone who has seen or shared the video on social media to remove it, in order to protect the victim’s privacy.
“It’s a tragic thing to happen to anyone, let alone a young person and for violence of any kind to happen and then be shared by video, it really compounds the healing path and challenges that a victim will face after having had an experience like this,” said Carlson.
Ripples through the community
A GoFundMe campaign for the victim was shared on Sept. 1 by a friend, which collected over $1,300 in donations in just over 48 hours, and Moose Jaw Pride has received an influx of supportive messages and offers to help over the past few days.
“It’s been very overwhelming and we do appreciate it. We see you and we hear you, and we really thank you,” said Carlson. “That is a hopeful thing for the victim and their family, and for other young trans and queer people in the community, but of course no one wants a silver lining in a tragedy.”
Carlson expressed concerns that the details of a violent incident like this has made many LGBTQ+ individuals feel unsafe and unsure in their communities, even with recent strides towards inclusivity.
“When a violent event does occur, that is based in dislike or a hatred towards a member of the LGBTQ community, it really hits home for folks,” said Carlson. “It’s really easy for us, with the way social media works, to surround ourselves with people who love us and then forget that the great progress that has been made in Moose Jaw, in smaller and rural communities, in Canada, that it is tenuous for a lot of reasons.”
They explained that violence or the fear of violence is very much a reality for many LGBTQ+ people, who are at a higher risk for suicide and substance abuse.
An incident such as this coming to light can be retraumatizing for some, said Carlson, especially for those who have been victim to gender-based violence in the past.
The isolation of rural communities can also exacerbate fears and cause feelings of alienation for many, they continued, and negative discourse in conversations seen on social media only contributes to the issue.
“I want to encourage folks to know that is not the whole experience of LGBTQ people, that in Moose Jaw you can participate in community life although I know that might not be true for all people at all times,” they continued.
Carlson encourages both youth and adults to take this opportunity to have open discussions about respect, acceptance and empathy, and to consider their own actions and language.
For anyone in need of support during this time, the Moose Jaw Pride office is available to contact Monday through Friday at 1 (306) 692-3388, or by text, WhatsApp, or email at taylor@moosejawpride.ca.
