LITTLE CURRENT—The goal of Victims and Survivors of Crime Week, which took place May 11 to 17, is to raise awareness about the issues victims and survivors face and the support available to them and their families. The Manitoulin Northshore Victim Services had a busy week doing just that – raising awareness.
On Monday, May 12, after an opening ceremony in Espanola earlier in the day, Executive Director of Manitoulin Northshore Victims Services, Amy Collins, was in Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands for a similar ceremony. She addressed those in attendance in the NEMI council chambers with a brief speech. She explained that the Department of Justice annually chooses a specific time in the year to raise awareness of the challenges faced by victims and survivors of crime and the services, assistance and laws in place to help them and their families.
“This year … we honour those who have survived harms done to them,” Ms. Collins said. “I’d like to start by saying that for many indigenous people the experience of crime is not only about the immediate act of harm, but also a reflection of the deep and lasting scars of history. It is important for us to acknowledge this and that we are gathered on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe peoples, specifically the Ojibwe, Odawa and Pottawatomi nations, collectively known as the Three Fires Confederacy.”
She went on to address the many ways and the many agencies involved in assisting victims of crime. “In short, when we consider the services and support that may be required to assist in these occurrences, we know first responders such as police, fire and ambulance can be reached with a call to 911, but sometimes neither of these are used to report an incident and supports such as helplines, crisis services and violence against women programs, emergency shelters, sexual assault centres, mental health and addictions programs are used. If charges are laid, police services, victim witness assistance programs, crown’s office, correctional and parole services are involved.”
The purpose of this week is to not only let victims of crime know the help that is available to them, but to make the public aware of the many collaborative agencies set up to assist the victims and survivors of crime. As the flag at NEMI town hall was already lowered, a moment of silence then followed, to honour those lost to acts of crime.
“We will now officially start this week … by signing the proclamation, and I hope that we can continue to support those victims and survivors of crime collectively, as a community network that cares,” Ms. Collins concluded. NEMI Mayor Al MacNevin signed the proclamation and the week of support for victims of crime began.
by Margery Frisch
