Foothills Communities Encouraged to End the Silence on Family Violence
High River, AB – November is Family Violence Prevention Month and Rowan House Emergency Shelter is looking to raise awareness with a new Purple Ribbon campaign. On Wednesday, November 12th, staff and volunteers will visit High River businesses encouraging them to display a purple ribbon and information on family violence. They’ll also be tying the ribbons on trees and fixtures around the town and hope homeowners might do the same.
“This isn’t just a women’s issue, it affects everyone,” said Executive Director Sherrie Botten, “and these ribbons are a way for businesses and residents to stand up and say ‘family violence is not okay.’”
Violence occurs in all age, racial, economic, educational, occupational, and faith groups and is certainly prevalent here in the Foothills. Rowan House has had over 350 requests for crisis support in the last eight
months and over 900 crisis calls on its help line. This is almost as many as it had in total all of last year.
Botten said, “Our numbers for support are drastically increasing. The level of trauma we are seeing in families is often extreme.”
She added, “Rowan House’s goal is to simply get people to join the conversation. We need to think of
violence against women and children and violence in the home in the same way we now view drinking
and driving – simply unacceptable and intolerable.”
If anyone would like Family Violence materials to display or more information on the resources available
for those in need, they can call Rowan House at 403.652.3316.
Rowan House Emergency Shelter provides crisis intervention, long-term support and education for those
affected by family violence in rural communities.