Making a real difference
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Organizations which provide services to assist victims and survivors of crime cannot do it alone.
So during National Victims of Crime Awareness Week and National Volunteer Week, the Women’s Sexual Assault Centre of Renfrew (WSAC) sponsored a special event which brought together their colleagues from Victim Witness Assistance Program, Victim Services of Renfrew County, and the Bernadette McCann House, their volunteers and partners to say thank you. Each organization chose volunteers and partners to be recognized. Among the media honourees was The Daily Observer for publishing articles and information that help survivors know where to turn for support.
In many cases, victims and survivors are invisible to those on the outside because everything is done in secret, so last night’s event was meant to honour the journey of healing, said JoAnne Brooks, director of the WSAC.
Lisa Bowman began volunteering with the WSAC’s crisis line in 2008. Soon after she began taking calls, she was shocked by the number of women who were victims of violence.
“It really tore me apart because I had a belief that all women were treated equally,” she said during her talk.
She eventually joined the centre’s board of directors.
Bowman went on to earn her Bachelor’s in Social Work.
She advanced to taking a professional role around the courthouse and has continued to see the amount of crime that exists, as she has sat with women and men who have been verbally, physically, sexually and emotionally abused. She believes the key will be figuring out how to prevent these crimes from happening in the first place.
Also offering a thought-provoking talk was Julie Lalonde, project co-ordinator of the Draw the Line campaign.
Originally launched in May 2012, the website provides scenarios and asks people where they would draw the line. It encourages bystanders to take action to help end violence.
Lalonde feels the key is changing people’s perspectives. For more on this initiative, visit www.draw-the-line.ca
Tina Peplinskie is a Daily Observer multimedia journalist
Twitter: @TPeplinskieOBS