Blamé Campaign to address issue of sexual assault in Saskatchewan
If a woman gets sexually assaulted at a bar, the YWCA doesn't want her to be blamed because of what she was wearing.
Article content
You wouldn’t blame a victim of drinking and driving for causing the accident and you wouldn’t blame a victim of a flood for making it rain.
But when it comes to sexual assault, victim blaming and rape culture still prevents 97 per cent of victims from coming forward says a YWCA report.
“I think it’s a huge problem. There’s so many people who are so quick to point the finger at the victim and blame her for the actions,” senior director of programs at YWCA Regina, Kendra Strong-Garcia.
Strong-Garcia is part of a YWCA advocacy committee that organizes an annual sexual assault prevention campaign. This years Blamé Campaign partnered with 10 local bars and pubs in hopes of shifting the conversation surrounding sexual assault victims.
“I think it’s disgusting,” said Cathedral Social Hall co-owner Matt Dean. “It’s almost like there’s an expectation from guys out there that it’s OK. You kinda question where they get that, where that’s coming from.”
Dean was approached by Strong-Garcia and quickly agreed to be part of the campaign. The YWCA provided him with posters and coasters to raise awareness about victim blaming. He said having pubs and bars focus on this issue is important because a lot of the time alcohol is a factor in sexual assaults.
According to Dean, all staff will get briefed on the campaign as they come in for work over the next week. They will be instructed to give out special coasters to the customers that say “not asking for it.”
“They’re there to have conversations and that’s just a great opportunity to discuss the whole topic of the campaign,” said Strong-Garcia.
Bushwakker Brewpub will also be participating. Floor manager Cheryl Tovey said she is excited to a part of it. She said she didn’t realize sexual violence was such an issue in Regina, but she understands why it is difficult for people to come forward.
“If they report it, then they’re scared that people aren’t going to believe them … and then they have to relive it and face that person again that did this to them,” said Tovey.
She said while the campaign is focused on spreading awareness about victim blaming, it also reminds people to be careful when out walking alone, or in big crowds where people are easily targeted. Tovey will be speaking with her staff about the campaign and will get them to watch a video about victim blaming provided by the YWCA.
According to the YWCA, even though other major crimes have decreased, the rate of police-reported sexual assaults increased by 16 per cent in 2016 in Regina.
Strong-Garcia said part of addressing the issue of sexual violence is individual awareness of what is going on around you.
“What we are trying to promote here is more about people feeling the responsibility to intervene. If you see something that doesn’t look right, to intervene, not to stand back and just let it happen,” said Strong-Garcia.
Next year the YWCA hopes to expand the campaign to include more bars and pubs. In the meantime, Strong-Garcia said they hope to provide bystander training to pub and bar staff.
The YWCA is also working to educate children about the culture of consent, so that they understand from a very young age that no means no.
The campaign runs until May 30.
Watch the campaign video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNHhyhobpEk
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.