Raising Awareness of Domestic Violence at Regina's Hearts in the Park Event
The College of Nursing Regina Campus once again participated in the Hearts in the Park event hosted by The Circle Project, Regina Police Service and SOFIA House, with support from the Department of Justice Canada.
The second-annual event held Wednesday May 31st in Regina's Victoria Park, took place during National Victims and Survivors of Crime Week with a focus on community engagement through sharing the impacts of violence.
A recent Statistics Canada report found that Saskatchewan has the highest family violence rates among all Canadian provinces. The Hearts in the Park event is an opportunity for people to learn how to access resources, how to recognize the signs of violence, understand the cycle of violence and learn ways to move beyond victimization and create positive change. The theme of this year's event "It takes HEART to talk about it" supported the goal of raising awareness about the issue and impacts of violence in the community. The organizing partners we work with on this event all believe we need to let others know it's okay to talk openly about violence, share how it affects all of us and break the stigma.
The College of Nursing believes in building meaningful relationships that are mutually beneficial to organizations and communities. As we prepare health care professionals, who in the near future, will be working with those affected by domestic violence, we are committed to working with community partners on the prevention of domestic violence for individuals and families. To learn more about how the College of Nursing and The Circle Project work together to reduce the impact of domestic violence in the community, please visit www.nursinginthecommunity.usask.ca
About Our Community Partners
As an Aboriginal organization, The Circle Project actively engages and supports the community by helping individuals and families reach their full potential through proven and effective programs and services, including Family Violence Prevention. Creating opportunities to build lasting and diverse partnerships is a priority and key to increasing community safety by raising awareness about the impacts of important community issues like addictions, homelessness and family violence.
The Regina Police Service responds to, on average, 18 domestic related incidents per day. These numbers do not account for the many incidents that go unreported. Domestic violence is a priority of the Regina Police Service, and the community it serves. To report domestic violence, call 911 (in an emergency) or the Regina Police Service at 306-777-6500.
As a second-stage shelter, SOFIA House provides safe housing and comprehensive services to women and children who are victims of domestic violence, which enables them to move from an abusive home into successful, independent living. Building partnerships and a community where respect, equality and freedom create an environment where violence against women and children doesn't exist is key for SOFIA House.
Violence affects us all. It takes HEART to talk about it.