Impact Grande Prairie has officially kicked off the International 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign to call out and speak up against gender-based violence.
The campaign is being observed by numerous wellness centres in the city, with partnerships between the Odyssey House, PACE, and Impact, all joining together to raise awareness for gender-based violence in Grande Prairie.
According to Kristen Tardif, Media and Event Coordinator for Impact Grande Prairie, one in three women in Alberta will experience gender-based violence at some point in their lives. She says the campaign is important as it sheds light on violence against women in communities.
“At Odyssey House, we see a lot of women utilizing our services, so it just kinda goes to show that it’s more common than people think, and it’s in their own community as well.”
This year, Impact Grande Prairie shares that PACE provided 263 individuals with counselling who experienced sexual violence, provided crisis intervention to 63 individuals and hosted over 80 participants in various women’s support groups in Grande Prairie.
Tardif says she encourages everyone who takes part in the 16 days of activism campaign to listen and learn about gender-based violence in Grande Prairie.
“The main thing is just to listen to people who have experienced it or are experiencing it, chances are they will seek help if you just give them a listening ear.”
The campaign started on November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and goes until December 10th, Human Rights Day.
