BONNYVILLE – As October neared its end, the Town and MD of Bonnyville councils received a request from Stepping Stones Crisis Society, formerly the Dr. Margaret Savage Crisis Centre, asking that the municipalities proclaim November as Family Violence Prevention Month.
The declaration has a significant meaning and a direct impact for Stepping Stones Crisis Society, which operates an emergency shelter for women and children fleeing domestic and intimate partner violence in the region.
The purpose of establishing a month for family violence prevention is to increase awareness and help highlight the issues of domestic violence that occur in Bonnyville communities.
During each municipality’s last regular council meeting in October, both Mayor Elisa Brosseau and Reeve Barry Kalinski read a proclamation declaring November as Family Violence Prevention Month.
Both municipal leaders read a series of statistics prepared by the Stepping Stones Crisis Society that emphasizes the need for greater awareness on the topic of family violence and intimate partner violence.
“Alberta has the third highest rate of self-reported intimate partner violence among Canadian provinces,” read the information.
“Approximately every six days, a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner... Violence against women and children represents one of the most significant societal issues that endangers Canadians' health and well-being... the total economic cost of spousal violence in Canada is estimated at $7.4 billion.”
The proclamation made by the municipal leaders also highlighted the long-term consequences of not addressing family violence and the impact of generational trauma.
Both leaders acknowledged that there are many people in each municipality that experience violence in the home. They acknowledged that their municipality has a role to play in both creating awareness and preventing family violence.
The reeve and mayor stated, “I call upon citizens to speak out against family violence. I call upon you to make a difference by creating a culture of support for those affected by Family Violence, and I call upon you to encourage all community members to help make our [municipality] violence free in 2022 and beyond. You can speak up for those who are silenced.”
Both councils approved a similar request from the society in 2021 and proclaimed November 2021 as Family Violence Prevention Month.
The Government of Alberta has also deemed November as Family Violence Prevention Month.
At the end of September, both municipalities had proclaimed October as Disability Employment Awareness Month, which promotes the inclusion of workers with disabilities in the local economy at the request of the Dove Centre.
