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Brocket event focuses on domestic violence |
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Written by Richard Amery
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Friday, November 14 2008, 11:06 PM |
Domestic violence figures have been going down on the Piikani reserve and surrounding area, in part due to anti-domestic violence educational programs like the one held in Brocket, Friday afternoon.
“It’s not a big problem here, but there are cases of domestic violence occurring in the community. It appears to be decreasing over the past two years,” said Brocket RCMP detachment commander, Staff Sgt. Sonny Richards, one of several speakers at the day long event.
The event, themed Stop the Silence End the Violence, started with a morning march around the community to the cemetery which drew about 25 people who said a prayer for the women killed by domestic violence and another prayer for women still in abusive relationships. It wound up at the community hall where participants listened to a panel of speakers concerning opportunities available for people to escape abusive relationships.
“Traditionally women were held in high esteem. They were really honoured in Blackfoot culture,” event organizer Robyn Weasel Bear said, adding trying to re-teach Blackfoot traditions is an important tool in the battle against domestic violence which can include elder abuse, sex abuse, child abuse and dating abuse. She emphasized the goal of the event was to get people talking about the severity of domestic violence.
“It is not just the community workers’ responsibility, it’s the community’s. If just one person in danger decides to leave an abusive situation, then it’s a success,” stressed the Piikani Child and Family Services suicide prevention/family violence programs co-ordinator. Weasel Bear was pleased to see so many youth organizations involved with the march, though they couldn’t stay for the presentations as they had to go back to class. She said a lot of the youth she works with aged 14-29 are parents already, so if participating can help them think about their life choices and recognize the signs of abuse, it would be a good thing.
“There’s a lot of dedicated people. It’s important to have that leadership and support (between the organizations),” she said.
Terry Provost, who runs a healing retreat twice a year, showed a DVD about how his retreat helps people — everybody from street people to criminals to people in abusive relationships.
“A lot of people just see street people, they have no idea why they were on the street,” Provost said, explaining the idea behind his retreats every March and Oct. 15, is having testimonials from survivors to provide inspiration. He added three years ago he had a woman who had murdered a man telling the group about her time in prison. Provost said three men with young offender records turned their lives around right there. He said there aren’t a lot of employment opportunities in Brocket. There are independent farmers and ranchers, the independent gas stations, Peigan Crafts and well as social services and government organizations and band administration.
“There’s not a whole lot,” Provost said.
Sgt. Richards said most domestic cases are caused by factors like unemployment, boredom and alcohol.
“Ninety-five per cent of our calls are alcohol related,” he said, adding the word is getting out through educational programs and talks in the schools and the new domestic violence division set up by the RCMP for the area, and above all, one-on-one discussions with people.
“It’s about bridging the gaps between lack of awareness. People are starting to get the word,” he said.
“The fastest way to communicate (about these issues) is word of mouth. It’s quite a bit faster,” he said.
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Last Updated ( Monday, August 10 2009, 2:35 PM )
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