The #MeToo movement swept across North America in 2017 but was actually founded in 2006 as a way to help survivors of sexual violence find healing. Now, a Lethbridge initiative is looking to continue that work.

“#uhavethepower is something that the staff actually brainstormed out together as a way to get some momentum, to get people talking about the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre and talk more about sexual assault in general in our community,” the centre’s CEO Kristine Cassie said.

The initiative has the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre teaming up with the local Boys and Girls Club, in a campaign to help stop sexual violence.

It’s a timely initiative as May is sexual violence awareness month in Alberta.

“One in three women and girls, and one in six men and boys experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime in Canada,” Cassie added.

And that’s not all.

“The cost of this violence $4.6 billions, economically, a year, so we look at the pressures on police and court, medical, lost time at work, what happens to employers when people can’t come to work cause of sexual violence,” Cassie said.

To help, the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre recently opened its doors.

“Since we opened a few months ago, growth has been steady. More people week after week are starting to find the services, [are] thankful for the services. It’s becoming very busy very, very quickly,” Chinook Sexual Assault Centre board chair Bill Kaye said.

The centre offers various services, including crisis support, counselling and more.

“The Chinook Sexual Assault Centre — there was desperate need for it here. Lethbridge is not immune to the numbers we see nationally around sexual violence,” Kaye said.

The centre serves all of southwestern Alberta, and is looking towards the possibility of one day opening a child advocacy centre in the region.

Source: Read Full Article