The community comes together to raise awareness about gender based violence
Sept. 19 was a particularly windy day at the Pat Fiaco Plaza, but this did not stop community members from joining the Young Women’s Christian Association’s (YWCA) Walk-A-Mile in Their Shoes event. Presented by Avana, this annual event of 9 years started with the goal of raising awareness about gender-based violence and fundraising for the Isabel Johnson Shelter, a domestic violence service centre here in the city. Their mission was to reach $75,000 and they had already raised $55,000 at the time of the event.
Before taking their lap around Victoria Park, participants in the walk borrowed red heels or red high-heeled boots from the YWCA booth to symbolically walk in solidarity with survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Some brought their own pair to decorate with red ribbons and flairs. This footwear is described in YWCA’s statement as “confronting the uncomfortable truth of violence in our communities.”
Every six days, a woman is killed in Canada by her intimate partner. With twice the national average, Saskatchewan ranks highest in rates of domestic and intimate partner violence. 66 per cent of those in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are reported more likely to experience IPV. 3 in 5 of transgender women have experienced IPV, starting at the age of 16 and Indigenous women are 12 times more likely to be murdered or go missing.
In total, the YWCA saw over 40 volunteers, 466 donors, and 335 walkers for the event. – Lee Lim
The Walk-A-Mile event represents survivors and goes beyond just presenting the overwhelming statistics but also addresses the current crisis and threats that women are facing. Leading up to the event, YWCA spotlighted many of the survivors they are walking for on Instagram. For example, Trudy, Sanieca, Jazzmin, Arielle, Candace, and Bethaney are all women who have accessed YWCA Regina’s shelters or the Isabel Johnson Shelter for support.
Remarks of YWCA’s CEO Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen stated that over 200 women and children stayed at their shelters last year. “At our Isabel Johnson Shelter, women don’t just have a bed for the night, they get 24/7 trauma-informed care,” she said.
They ensure that women don’t just survive but thrive when they walk through their doors. “When women thrive, families thrive, and when families thrive, community thrives.”
Coomber-Bendtsen also shared that she was excited about the turnout of the event and that a good portion of the community showed up to talk about the realities of gender-based violence and the reasons they walk.
“It really opens up the conversation for people and gives [them] an opportunity to talk about really difficult [and] uncomfortable conversations amongst their friends and family,” she expressed.
When asked about the first step someone should take in getting help, Coomber-Bendtsen said it is to recognize that there is help available. “There’s lots of avenues, both online and calling 2-1-1 to be able to get resources that are available,” she said. “Finding an ally and a support network [… ] to help you go through that confidentially.”
YWCA’s work doesn’t just stop at providing shelter for women; they aim to break the cycle of violence before it occurs. “Some of the most important work that we do is with young boys [or] grade 6 students around Upstander,” said Coomber-Bendtsen. She said that their Upstander program is about trying to prevent things before they escalate.
When women thrive, families thrive, and when families thrive, community thrives. –Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen
Volunteer Olivia Gergeley was at Walk-a-Mile to inform attendees about the alternate program. “We teach about gender-based violence, and ways that we can intervene [safely] when we see harassment and violence occur, and ways to be an ally to other people,” said Gergeley. “It’s tailored to […] small [or large] businesses and Indigenous-based organizations.’’ To learn more about the online program, reach out to Gergeley through email at upstander@ywcaregina.com.
Students like Rose Kuntz, Hallie Henderson, Lily Salamon, Rylee Woloschuk, and Chyler Biglaky from Greenall High School all stepped up for the cause on Walk-a-Mile day. When asked about their thoughts on the province having the highest rates of IPV, the group collectively agreed that YWCA’s event is helping in raising awareness. Henderson, who participated in last year’s walk, said that it was a shocking statistic to hear about the province she lives in. First time attendee Kuntz said that “it’s tragic to hear […] it’s important to let the survivors and the people still going through it know that we are here, we see you, and there’s people out there for you.”
Another first time attendee, Stefanie Tetoff, spoke about what she thought would help in lowering the staggering rates of gender-based violence in Saskatchewan. She expressed that not a lot of people know what is available in other communities. “I know we have a lot of shelters, Regina being a larger community, but your smaller ones who also have a lot of domestic violence [cases] they don’t have options.”
Cameron Klein, who was walking at the event for the third time, said there’s a lack of professionals to help and that telling people where they can get help should be prioritized. “Lots of people don’t even know where to start,” she said. “I think having more resources would hopefully make a difference.’’
In total, the YWCA saw over 40 volunteers, 466 donors, and 335 walkers for the event. Last year they reached over $60,000 in donations and they continue to look for support to meet their current fundraising goal. Walk-A-Mile in Their Shoes did not only show that Regina residents are walking in allyship for survivors of gender-based violence but also that they recognize the need to tackle this crisis in our communities.
