Support Centre marks Victims and Survivors of Crime Week

“Respect” is the key word as the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre marks Victims and Survivors of Crime Week, May 28 to June 3.
 
In conjunction with the centre, the week is being recognized locally a pair of Red Deer College students, who have also organized an event taking place Friday at Parkland Mall.
 
Kirsten Pelton, a social work student, and Shalea Harder-Mah, a psychology student, will be spreading the message of empowering resilience for victims and survivors. The event at the mall runs 3 to 6 p.m.
 
“It’s a chance for the community to show support for those who’ve been victims and survivors of crimes. With our iRespect campagn and posters, it’s mainly to just put it out there in picture and writing about encouraging respect and bringing up the new concept of respect culture,” Pelton says.
 
Harder-Mah adds a booth at the farmer’s market this past weekend shone some light on how much people already know about respect culture.
 
“We had a huge number of people participate, just by taking the signs. buying the t-shirts and stopping by [to talk]. I guess I’d say we’ve made headway,” she says. “The big thing surrounding bullying, harassment and assault is a lack of respect. At the centre here, we’re trying to build that respect back up because you’re less likely to run into issues of people harming each other when they have respect for each other.”
 
Pelton adds the centre has programming designed to teach kids at a young age what’s respectful touching and what respect for someone else’s opinions and rights means.
 
For more information on Victims and Survivors of Crime Week and the work ongoing at the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre, visit CASASC.ca. or their Facebook page.