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10 Tuesday September 29 2015 JUSTICE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE www.rmwb.cachampions CITIZEN RECOGNITION PROGRAM 2015 Do you know an outstanding resident who deserves recognition by Mayor and Regional Council Wood Buffalo residents are invited to nominate fellow individuals or groups for their contributions to improve the community. Nominations are open until September 30 2015. Forms are available online and at your local municipal contact office. Visit www.rmwb.cachampions By CRAIG GILBERT A lunchhour overview of the services avail- able to victims of domestic violence in Fort Smith was like extra credit for two of the dozen or so Aurora College students who took it all in at Thebacha campus on Thursday. The college participates in NWT Fam- ily Violence Awareness Week every year and the hour-long forum included brief presentations by representatives of the RCMP Sutherland House the Childrens Aid Society Victim Services and the col- lege itself. The college has a more mature student population and some students bring their families and spouses so prevention and awareness around domestic violence issues is important to create a safe environment so students can function manager of stu- dent success Laura Aubrey said afterward noting family violence knows no bound- aries along demographic socioeconomic or racial lines. I believe if you look across any academic institution with residences you would wit- ness the same types of domestic violence challenges you do at Aurora College. The most recent data posted on the GNWT website indicate more than 87 per cent of 753 people interviewed for a 2007 survey said they are worried or some- what worried about family violence in their community. Sergeant Richard Brown said domestic violence calls are a near-daily occurrence in Fort Smith. It affects all of us he said assuring the students they can always come to the RCMP to report something they have witnessed. However police are only one part of the entire system. Ending abuse is the only way we can ever move forward as a society and we can only reduce it if we work as a community. Lynn Napier-Buckley of Victim Services said students who travel to Fort Smith are by definition separated from their personal support network of family and friends when they arrive. In many cases a victims abuser is also the only support they feel they have being a breadwinner child-care provider or both. Abusers arent always abusive she said. Those foundations of trust and support from the start of relationship are still there. Its hard to move on and sometimes you just want it to be like back to normal. Theyre used to that person being in their home. So we try to help them get their lives as close to normal as possible so theyre not worry- ing about food rent and getting their kids to school during the process. For future teachers Karen Lepine- McFeeters from Fort Chipewyan and De- nise Zoe from Behchoko the information at the forum forms a toolkit they will use to help their students. Lepine-McFeeters and her two daughters took part in the Take Back the Night march on Sept. 18. This is a topic very close to my heart she said. I have a lot of family friends and co- workers whove dealt with it and Ive been a support to victims in my past work. It needs to be talked about so people know they have choices and know where to turn. Added Zoe Theres so much going on in our homes. I have friends who live close to me whowent through a rough stage. I didnt understand why the social workers and po- lice ofcers got involved in things like this. Now I know. Showing Aurora students they are not alone during NWT Family Violence Awareness week Resources for victims of crime SUTHERLAND HOUSE WOMENS AND CHILDRENS SHELTER Staffed247247crisisline867-872-4133 toll-free 877-872-5925 VICTIM SERVICES Ofce in McDougal Centre but will meet anywhere. 867-872-5911Ringsthroughtocellphone. FORT SMITH SOCIAL WORKER Ofce at hospital but will meet anywhere. 867-872-6209 after hours 867-872-6200 RCMP 872-1111 KIDS HELP PHONE 1-888-668-6868 NWT HELP LINE 247 1-800-661-0844 PhotoLynnNapierBuckley It needs to be talked about so people know they have choices and know where to turn. Aurora College student Karen Lepine-McFeeters Marchers including Kyle Napier left and Eleanor Buckley took part in the annual Take Back the Night walk in Fort Smith on Sept. 17. A march was also held in Yellowknife on Sept. 25.