Saskatchewan’s high rate of violence cannot be tolerated.
That from Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan as Violence Prevention Week begins.
Morgan says it needs to be a coordinated effort of government, organizations, communities and residents to work together to stop violence and abuse.
The idea for the proclamation of a week dedicated to violence prevention was requested by Regina’s Police Chief.
Evan Bray says looking at the statistics doesn’t have the same impact as what police officers encounter every day.
People who have been victims of violence are not numbers on a chart.
The province has developed a number of tools for those encountering violence and for those working to support victims.
For example, the Legal Information and Advice for Survivors of Sexual Violence program was launched.
It provides free legal advice to survivors of sexual violence.
The Saskatchewan Police Commission implemented a new policy for how investigations into incidents of intimate partner violence are conducted and Conservation Officers and Highway Patrol Officers have been trained to gain understanding what a victim could be going through and how to appropriately intervene when they respond to calls in their expanded role with the Protection Response Team.