IMPACT Grande Prairie (photo from IMPACT Grande Prairie's Facebook page)

By Liam Verster

Family Violence Prevention Month

Awareness campaigns go in Grande Prairie to mark Family Violence Prevention month

Nov 2, 2020 | 2:17 PM

November is Family Violence Prevention Month, and IMPACT Grande Prairie is using the month to raise awareness and educate the public on domestic and sexual violence, and the available supports for victims in Grande Prairie.

IMPACT Grande Prairie (formerly known as Prevention of Family Violence Network), is a coalition of organizations committed to eradicating family violence in Northwestern Alberta by providing supports and services to victims of domestic and sexual abuse .

Joanne Peckham, the Network Coordinator for IMPACT Grande Prairie says they will be using the month to raise awareness on family violence, and that there are supports and services in the Peace Country to help victims and prevent further abuse.

From November 9-13, members of the partnering organizations will be present at the Cars for Christmas Lottery booth in the Prairie Mall, where they will speak to members of the public and raise awareness of family violence. Through a partnership with Swan City Rotary Club, between $5,000 and $25,000 raised through ticket sales will also go to these local service providers.

On November 13, IMPACT will host a Take Back the Night march through Grande Prairie.

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“This is to raise awareness and attention to family violence in our community,” says Peckham. “So, we’re asking everyone to bring their signs, bring their excitement, and wear your purple clothes, ribbons and masks. Victim Services will have their mascot joining in this year.”

The march begins at 4 p.m. at Revolution Place, and will make its way through downtown Grande Prairie, and loop back to Revolution Place.

IMPACT is also putting together a social media campaign. On November 23, the public is asked to wear purple, which is the colour for family violence awareness, and use the hashtags #GoPurpleGP and #FamilyViolencePreventionMonth on social media. Those who participate will be entered into a draw for two $25 Tim Horton’s gift cards.

Peckham says family violence is prevalent in Alberta, which has the third highest rate of self-reported domestic violence in Canada.A release from IMPACT says family violence also affects a lot of people and families in Grande Prairie.

Over 1260 files relating to family violence were reported to Victim Services between January and September 2020. 157 men and women accessed supports through the John Howard Society. PACE provided therapeutic and counselling support to 553 individuals, had 204 children and 156 parents access family services, and provided critical services to 500 people so far this year.

Odyssey House saw 262 women and 215 children admitted and supported through the emergency shelter program between April 2019 and March 2020, as well as provided assistance to 680 individuals and 552 children who were victims of family violence. Meanwhile, the Grande Prairie RCMP responded to 2,458 spousal abuse complaints between January and September 2020.

Peckham adds that work is underway to create and launch a Data-to-Action project in an effort to get real-time data on these instances of family violence, as it’s likely those figures have gone up due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In the past, these women and men could get out and make that phone call (to a support provider), or have the privacy in their own home to reach out for help, but now they’re stuck with the person in the house.”

She adds the same has likely happened with child abuse, as the kids weren’t able to go to school, where most child abuse cases are reported.

Peckham says anyone who suspects someone is the victim of family violence is encouraged to talk with the individual and be empathetic, compassionate and thoughtfully listen without judgement.

Those who are victims of abuse can access a number of services in and around Grande Prairie, including:

• Odyssey House – main office 780-538-1332, 24-Hour Crisis Line 780-532-2672
• Grande Prairie and District Victim Services – 780-830-5755
• PACE – 780-539-6692
• The Caribou Child and Youth Centre – 780-814-7223
• John Howard Society of Grande Prairie – 780-532-0373
• Grande Prairie RCMP – 780-830-5700
• Family Violence Info Line – 310-1818
• Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence – 1-866-403-800

IMPACT also urges anyone witnessing or in immediate danger due to domestic violence to call 911.

At the start of the month, Bill Given, Mayor of the City of Grande Prairie; Leanne Beaupre, Reeve of the County; and Tracy Allard, MLA for Grande Prairie, all made proclamations to declare November as Family Violence Prevention Month. Those proclamations can be viewed through IMPACT’s Facebook page.