Justice Minister and Attorney General Gordon Wyant is pleased to announce October 24-28, 2016, as the third annual Violence Prevention Week in Saskatchewan.
“With the tragic levels of violence we continue to see in our province, this is an issue our government takes very seriously,” Wyant said. “Violence in our communities is completely unacceptable and we all must play a role in stopping it. I thank the University of Regina for once again asking that this important week be proclaimed.”
“Our government is committed to broadening the discussion that engages men and boys to find realistic and effective solutions to reduce interpersonal violence and abuse,” Social Services Minister and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Tina Beaudry-Mellor said. “We will continue to promote healthy, respectful and non-violent relationships with a goal toward changing the cultural and social norms that support violence, to ensure the safety of all Saskatchewan citizens.”
The province has developed a number of new tools for those encountering violence, and for those working to support victims. They include:
An online course (http://employeeservices.gov.sk.ca/learningmodules/dutytoreport/story.html)aimed at preventing child abuse, which is now available to everyone in Saskatchewan through the Ministry of Social Services. Based on the Child Abuse Protocol, it teaches participants about signs of child abuse and identifies each individual’s legal duty to report suspected cases;
A Ministry of Justice resource for stalking victims. Along with information on criminal harassment and filing a police report, the resource package includes a log that victims can use to record each stalking incident, establishing a criminal pattern of harassment; and A new guide specifically for workers at shelters, transition houses, and victims services.
The Ministry of Justice’s Domestic Violence Safety Planning Guide provides risk assessment materials that front-line staff can use to determine a victim’s level of safety.
Announced last fall, the Domestic Violence Death Review Panel is tasked with identifying consistent themes across domestic death cases in order to make recommendations that will prevent similar deaths in the future. Its pilot review is now complete.
The panel will begin its formal review later this year, with a final report expected next fall.
