Domestic violence campaign helping break down barriers
More people are encouraged to tell their story, organizers say
Advice telling a woman to work her way through an abusive relationship might come from a conservative pastor. Pressure to stay in one might come in the form of her spouse and refugee sponsor.
There are many barriers women can face when attempting to leave, and it can be anyone, according to Jen Hutton, chief executive officer at Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region.
Enabling more people to create pathways by recognizing and responding to domestic violence are the two main things the organization aims to accomplish with its most recent awareness campaign that has initially focused on the stories of community leaders.
While progress on an issue that’s often swept under the rug and kept behind closed doors is always hard to measure, organizers say they’ve had a positive and measurable response.
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The organization’s Facebook and social media channels were abuzz after former Waterloo mayor Brenda Halloran’s story was shared as part one of a 14-part series, which shone the light on various ambassadors who shared their personal experiences with domestic violence. Each instalment as part of the #SHEISYOURNEIGHBOUR project have also been featured online at kitchenerpost.ca in recent weeks.
The campaign has spurred new donors and lots of third-party events, said Jenna Mayne, the organization’s communications and fund development manager.
“We had such a wide variety of stories; it kind of spoke to different people in different ways,” she said. “We had a lot of survivors who reached out to us, who said it really wanted to make them share their story.”
Another women's services provider in Ontario called asking for advice on how to run a similar style of campaign, and the aim is to continue with the momentum locally in the months ahead through the end of 2019.
“We shared the stories of some key community leaders, so now we want the general public to get a little more involved and share their stories,” said Mayne.
Calls to the crisis support line have increased over the past year, which is an indicator that more people are recognizing the issue, according to Hutton.
Much of the campaign focuses on how to be a friendly neighbour and confidant for someone who may be experiencing domestic violence.
“You have to be cautious in terms of how you respond, because it could potentially increase the risk for the woman,” said Hutton. “So, there’s different ways of going about it.”
In certain situations, notifying the police is the most effective way, because even if charges aren’t laid, Hutton said it springs into action other referrals and supports that can help women create safety plans.
Since the campaign started, a report released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives ranked Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge as least safe for women out of 26 communities included in a study, which only emphasizes the need for such an awareness campaign here in the Waterloo region, Mayne noted.
She added that women living in rural areas, such as townships, are more prone to domestic violence.
“Often we see women new to Canada who learn certain things aren’t tolerated here,” added Hutton. “I think sometimes it’s a bit of a relief for them to say, 'Hey, I don’t have to necessarily live through this anymore. There are options for me and this is not OK.’”
More about the #SHEISYOURNEIGHBOUR campaign can be found at wcswr.org/she-is-your-neighbour.
The stories of all 14 community ambassadors can be found below:
2. Bryan Larkin
4. Mike Pereira
6. Juneyt
7. Katie Fox
8. Leo Tobi
10. Chef D
11. Tric Fletcher
12. Cavell Johnson
13. Mary Wilhelm
14. Mike Farwell