As Saskatchewan’s Violence Prevention Week begins, a provincial network of organizations called STOPS to Violence Network is urging people to educate themselves so they can help others, if needed.

Spokesperson Jodi Woollam notes that the theme this year is ‘It Starts With You”.  The goal is to raise awareness and recognize that we all have an active role to play in building safe, welcoming communities.

Woollam believes that with the interpersonal violence and abuse across the province, there is a growing need for each of us to take responsibility, and she says we can do that by learning about interpersonal violence, recognize when it’s happening and educate ourselves about how to start the conversation with someone you believe may be a victim and let them know where they can get help.

She notes that according to Statistics Canada’s data from 2019, Saskatchewan has the highest rate of reported intimate partner violence of all the provinces and it’s more than double the federal average. Saskatchewan’s rate is 724 victims per 100,000 people and Canada’s is 344.

Click here to find more resources about interpersonal violence and abuse.