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On International Women’s Day, Regina Transition House (RTH) is shining a light on domestic violence.
The organization’s #ChangeTheStory campaign is highlighting the epidemic in Saskatchewan by bringing awareness to the issue and asking people to change the story.
Executive Director Stephanie Taylor joined the 980 CJME Morning Show on Thursday, she said RTH was looking for a way to address the epidemic in the province.
“We’re currently the province with the most reported incidents of domestic violence in the country. So basically it was those statistics coming out that kind of inspired the campaign,” she said.
Out of 10 different communities with the highest rates of domestic violence in the country, Taylor said six of those communities are in Saskatchewan.
She said there has been more awareness recently with movements like #MeToo and other social media movements, and with places like RTH as well as other shelters, there are ways for women to get help.
“But the reality is, the amount of domestic violence that we’re seeing or intimate partners violence, community violence, family conflict is increasing,” Taylor said.
“Our rates of women who are needing assistance every year has been going up year over year, we’re now facing a third year where that’s the case and I imagine it’s probably the case as well for other shelters in the city,” she continued
Even though there is assistance, Taylor said there’s maybe not enough and part of the issue is preventing domestic violence happening in the first place.
To help change the story, RTH is asking people in Saskatchewan to educate themselves on intimate partner violence and family conflict.
Taylor said they are asking people to find ways to reach out to people they think may be experiencing this issue in their families and homes.
“If you’re kind of educated about some of the red flags that someone may be experiencing and you’re educated about how to reach out to them in a sensitive way, you may be inspired to do that, and to just let them know there is a way to get help,” she said.
Taylor said another way people can help is by supporting organizations like RTH to help get people out of domestic violence situations.
— With files from the 980 CJME Morning Show