North East Outreach and Support Services are raising awareness of sexual violence along with other outreach organizations this week. (File photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Rob Mahon

Sexual Violence Awareness

NEOSS sees progress as Sexual Violence Awareness Week begins

May 17, 2022 | 12:00 PM

May 16-20 is Sexual Violence Awareness Week in Saskatchewan, and the issue has become so prevalent that just about everyone has a stake in it. Fortunately, the conversation around it appears to be shifting.

Organizations like North East Outreach and Support Services are seeing a greater willingness to have open discussions on the difficult subject. With that in mind, the awareness this week could bring would be important for keeping that conversation going.

“This is a very important week for us because it’s a week that brings awareness and education to an issue that is very prevalent and really affects each and every one of us,” said Ashley Schwanke, outreach manager with North East Outreach and Support Services. “It really highlights the importance of having conversations.”

When Schwanke says it’s an issue that affects everyone, she’s not just speaking anecdotally. Statistically, you almost certainly know someone who has experienced sexual violence even if you haven’t personally.

“According to Stats Canada, one in three women and one in six men have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime,” Schwanke said. “Really, this is an issue that affects everyone either by the fact that we may know someone who has experienced sexual violence, or we are someone who has experienced sexual violence.”

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According to Schwanke, there’s often a great deal of shame and fear around coming forward as a victim of sexual violence. The good news is, she sees more people willing to overcome that fear, and a generation coming up that’s willing to talk openly about their experiences not only in private but on social media as well.

“I feel very hopeful in that we are having these conversations,” said Schwanke. “Younger people are willing to have these really hard conversations even through social media apps. That’s been my experience is a lot of people are talking about it and talking about what consent is and the spectrum of sexual assault.”

The theme of this year’s Sexual Violence Awareness Week is centered on sexual exploitation and human trafficking. The words human trafficking conjure certain images in the mind, but the reality is human trafficking looks far different than it often does in popular media.

“In reality, most people are trafficked here in Saskatchewan often by someone they’re in an intimate relationship with,” said Schwanke.

Schwanke also said this week will involve a great deal of work on their social media pages to help spread awareness.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP