Public speaks out against violence in the household
Community members unite behind Family Violence Awareness Week
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, October 1, 2015
DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE
During a week aimed at shining a spotlight on the problem of domestic violence, the Deh Cho Health and Social Services had a clear message for community members: family abuse is a community problem, not just an individual one.
Christina Bonnetrouge, left, walks with Sheena Labrecque and Andre Bolduc during the Family Violence Awareness Week walk in Fort Providence on Sept. 21. - photo courtesy of Rachel Walpert
|
Family Violence Awareness Week stretched from Sept. 21 to 26 with events taking place in Fort Liard, Fort Simpson and Fort Providence. In Fort Providence, events were co-facilitated by Rachel Walpert and Naomi Ballantyne.
Aside from the annual awareness walk, Fort Providence's programming included radio trivia, workshops and movies.
The authority ran a territorial workshop, titled What Will It Take, on Sept. 25. That workshop focuses on encouraging community members to act in order to reduce family violence.
"Family violence isn't just about the victims or the perpetrators," Walpert said. "It's about the bystanders and community itself who are witnessing it as well, and it takes everybody to make the difference."
During the workshop, which is a collaboration between Health and Social Services and the NWT Coalition Against Family Violence, community members learned about warning signs of family violence, bystander intervention and heard examples of how other Northerners have addressed family violence.
Walpert said the authority also aligns itself with the Status of Women's Council for the NWT during the week.
"Family violence is a community issue as a whole, so being able to organize events and invite the community to come out is positive," she said.
Programming this year was similar to what the authority has put on in previous years. Walpert, who has only been in Fort Providence since May, said the Fort Providence branch has been able to do more with more staff.
"We've only had one counsellor for the past three years. Now there's two of us so we can do a little bit more with two heads rather than one," she said.
Radio trivia ran on CKLB on Sept. 21, 23 and 25, with Walpert reading info about family violence and asking trivia questions.
The Sept. 25 segment was also translated into Dene Zhatie.
"That was a big hit and we feel like it reaches out to more people who tend to not come out so much (to events)," Walpert said.
As for attendance, Walpert said much of the programming drew many community members, especially the awareness walk.
"That one had a lot of teachers who helped to initiate it by getting students involved, making posters, making it into a really fun event. Some parents and community members came out as well," she said.
Family violence resources in Fort Providence include a community counselling program, social services, RCMP and front-line nursing staff, all of whom are trained in crisis management.
