The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is on Dec. 6. The day marks the anniversary of the murders of 14 women in 1989 at École Polytechnique de Montréal.
Envision Counselling and Support Centre, headquartered in Estevan, are acknowledging those women who lost their lives in a grievous act of gender-based violence.
The day is set aside to give everyone a chance to focus on women and girls who are experiencing violence in their everyday lives and come together to end violence in their communities: both in Canada and around the world.
“While the Montréal massacre happened 26 years ago, the need to remind people of violence against women continues,” said Christa Daku, executive director of Envision. “Things have changed since we began counselling women in the southeast — such as a flatline of national rates of self-reported spousal violence — but we’re seeing some disturbing trends.”
Daku added that statistics show more women are experiencing violence after they leave their abuser. But organizations such as Envision are working closer with police and other agencies to deal with the aftermath of domestic violence.
Daku also emphasized that partner abuse has a profound impact on children. Each year in Saskatchewan, approximately 24,000 children will be exposed to male violence against their mother in their own homes. Children are present during 80 per cent of these assault incidents.
The problem is no less pronounced in the southeast section of the province where Envision maintains office and counsellor support systems from Estevan, Weyburn, Carlyle and Oxbow.
“We had 832 client sessions in the first half of 2012. That has increased to 1,746 in the first half of 2015,” said Tania Andrist, resource development co-ordinator for Envision.
“That’s a 110 per cent increase, but we are also experiencing more awareness of the services we provide and of course changing economic conditions are to be considered,” she said. The October to March period in the Envision fiscal year, generally is busier than the first half, she noted.
Envision Counselling and Support Centre provides innovative programming and diverse counselling and support services to individuals, couples and families. These services are available free of charge, for those experiencing partner abuse, stalking and harassment, dating violence, older person abuse, couples or marital relationship breakdowns, or various other family challenges. Individuals looking for more information are directed to the Envision website.
