Pace Centre / Facebook

By Emily Keller

sexual violence awareness month

Pace Centre recognizing Sexual Violence Awareness Month through social media

May 6, 2020 | 5:30 AM

May is Sexual Violence Awareness Month in Alberta.

Buffy MacIntosh with the PACE Community Support, Sexual Assault, and Trauma Centre in Grande Prairie says the awareness month began in Alberta approximately three years ago.

“The goal is for us to bring more awareness to the ways that sexual violence impacts survivors, and to the supports and services that are available, and to also do some education around consent and prevention.”

MacIntosh says that one of the main things she wants people to take away from this month is that there are still high rates of sexual assault, sexual violence, and sexual harassment in communities.

“We face unique challenges because we live in a sort of more rural and remote area, so there are lots of smaller communities that don’t have access. We’re the only support centre in the northwest region, so, people who need supports are having to either travel a really long distance, or they don’t necessarily have access to much.”

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She says due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many centres, PACE included, have had to alter the way they offer services, including suspending all in-person support sessions, cancelling support groups and moving to offering support and services through the phone.

MacIntosh adds that fundraising and awareness initiatives for the month have also been cancelled or postponed by centres in the province.

“We usually do our Walk a Mile in Her Shoes campaign in May, and we postponed with the hope of seeing something happen in September, but since that initial decision was made, we know that things are so tenuous that the likelihood of us actually hosting the event this year are pretty small.”

Instead, they will be spreading awareness through their social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, using the hashtags #SVAM #SVAM2020 #SupportSurvivors #IBelieveYou #PaceCentreGP.

They are also asking people to follow and share their posts, campaign resources and information on social media, and if possible, to donate to the PACE Centre through its website.