LAKELAND – The Dragonfly Counselling and Support Centre is hoping to paint the town teal to show their support for survivors of sexual abuse.
May is Sexual Violence Awareness Month and the Dragonfly Centre, which serves communities throughout the Lakeland, is aiming to discuss the prevalence of sexual assault and share information about the services they provide to the community.
Along with social media posts and fundraisers in an effort to raise $10,000 toward sexual violence specialized counselling and support services, Dragonfly Centre Executive Director Cheryl Bujold said there’s also a ribbon campaign happening within the Town of Bonnyville.
“Residents are encouraged to purchase a teal ribbon by donation,” Bujold told Lakeland This Week. “We encourage folks to share their support of survivors by wearing their ribbon proudly.”
Ribbons can be picked up in town at the Dragonfly Centre, Home Hardware, Pharmasave Davey Drug Mart, Tellier’s Guardian Drugs, and the Bonnyville Medical Clinic.
Bujold stressed that sexual violence is a serious issue that touches many more people than just the victim.
“It’s one that has lasting and harmful effects on survivors, their families, friends, and our communities. It’s the Dragonfly Centre’s goal to stop sexual violence from happening in the first place and creating awareness on this issue allows us to know more about sexual assault and abuse,” she explained. “The more we know, the more we can do to prevent sexual violence from happening and the better prepared we are to support survivors throughout their healing journey.”
According to Bujold, a 2019 study on the prevalence of sexual abuse and childhood sexual assault found that one in two girls and one in four boys will experience sexual abuse within their lifetime.
“We also know that, overall, one in three children will experience sexual abuse before the age of 18,” she added. “For women and men, we’re looking at two in three women and one in three men will experience sexual violence at least one time throughout their lifetime.”
Rural communities’ statistics are even higher than, Bujold stated, and that’s also the case for vulnerable populations.
The Dragonfly Centre has seen a steady increase in clients since they opened their doors in 2015, which is something Bujold described as important that ‘individuals are ready to come forward and receive support and services.’
“Lots of people will say ‘it’s so unfortunate that those numbers are rising’ and we really see it in a different light. It’s because survivors feel more comfortable to come forward and ask for support and services,” she expressed. “That takes a society to create that level of comfort for these folks and the fact that they’re coming forward to receive support and recognize that sexual violence is a larger part of a societal issue. We’re excited that they’re willingly coming forward.”
A variety of counselling services are available through the local centre. A new virtual chatline was launched where those who need assistance can speak with a Dragonfly Centre employee through the centre’s website at thedragonflycentre.com.
While Bujold believes campaigns like the Me Too movement, the Alberta-wide I Believe You initiative, and Sexual Violence Awareness Month has started important conversations about sexual violence, there’s still more that needs to be done.
“Now that we have folks' attention and people are starting to talk about this issue more widely, we have an opportunity to make a real difference here.”
Supports across the province
The Dragonfly Centre isn't the only resource raising awareness about sexual violence in the month of May.
The provincial government announced on May 6 they are investing $233,000 toward the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services (AASAS) to help them provide important supports for survivors of sexual abuse across Alberta.
Along with $183,000 in provincial funding provided to AASAS, the Government of Alberta is giving them an additional one-time financial contribution of $50,000 to support the One Line for Sexual Violence. It’s part of the government’s commitment to bring awareness and prevent all forms of gender-based violence in Alberta.
One Line for Sexual Violence is a province-wide toll-free talk, text, and online chat service that is available in over 200 languages. It provides specialized services for those impact by sexual violence. The Dragonfly Centre was among the facilities that came together in May 2019 to officially launch the program.
The Alberta RCMP receive an average of 2,500 calls for service relating to sexual violence every year, they stated in a press release.
In 2020 alone, there were 2,973 sexual offences reported to Alberta RCMP.
The provincial government announced in May 2018 their commitment to work toward ending sexual violence. As a result, the Alberta RCMP reviewed and updated their processes related to investigations of sexual violence, including increased reviews of active files, identification of high-risk situations, and they created a Sexual Assault Review Coordinator position to oversee investigations, programs, and policy responses.
“To effectively work with survivors of sexual violence crimes, education and understanding about the impact of the crime and the needs of survivors is vital,” the Alberta RCMP said in a statement. “In an effort to enhance police services to our communities, all members and employees of the Alberta RCMP who have relevant interactions with citizens of our communities are required to complete two courses relating to trauma-informed approaches.”
