To show support for victims of sexual assault, the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Center is holding their annual I Believe You campaign until October 31st.

Speakers and survivors of sexual assault will be going to schools across Central Alberta this month to tell their stories, and encourage students to share words of encouragement and support by using the hashtag #IBelieveYou on social media.

At Burman University this morning, speaker for the campaign Shalea Harder-Mah says sometimes all it takes is the knowledge that someone will listen and believe you, for victims of sexual assault to come forward.

“It’s important because a lot of people are just alone, and they feel alone. They need that contact and that support, they need to know that someone is there for them. A lot of the time if someone else isn’t reaching out and giving support, then they won’t say anything.”

Director of Counselling with Burman University Wanda Johnson says a campaign like this can help someone feel like they have support and a voice.

“We have had students on this campus who have talked about the fact that they’ve been sexually assaulted and they didn’t feel believed. And so, we are trying to turn that message around, and give the message that yes, we do believe, we do believe you, and we will do whatever we can to protect you and to make sure that you are safe.”

A graffiti board has also been set up at Burman University, were students can write their own words of support for anyone who has been the victim of sexual assault.

This year’s campaign also focused and celebrated the fact that reports of sexual assault are on the rise, along with growing public support for survivors in Alberta.

Since last year, the Alberta Sexual Assault Services has seen a 53% increase in new counselling clients, reports to police have increased in both Edmonton (13%) and Calgary (20%), and people reaching out to Calgary’s Sexual Assault Response Team went up by 23%.

Despite this increase, the national reporting rate for sexual assault remains at 5%, according to the latest Canadian General Social Survey by Statistics Canada. The rate of every violent crime in Canada has actually decreased in previous years, except for sexual assault which remained stable.

For more information you can check out the I Believe You Campaign website.

 

(Speaker for the I Believe You campaign on behalf of the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre  Shalea Harder-Mah signs the graffiti wall located outside of the chapel at Burman University.)