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Town of Taber declares November as Family Violence Prevention month

Posted on November 13, 2019 by Taber Times
TIMES FILE PHOTO

By Trevor Busch
Taber Times
tbusch@tabertimes.com

Capitalizing on November 2018’s inaugural Family Violence Prevention Month in Taber, town council has now moved to annually formalize that declaration.

Safe Haven Women’s Shelter Society had requested council proclaim November as Family Violence Prevention Month in Taber on a permanent, go-forward basis.

November is Family Violence Prevention Month in Alberta, and municipalities across the province also proclaimed the month in their own communities to raise awareness about the issue.

“Last year in 2018 we were lucky enough to have November declared Family Violence Prevention Month in Taber,” said Catherine Champagne, executive director of Safe Haven, at council’s Oct. 28 meeting. “It is a province-wide initiative that is recognized all throughout Alberta. My application today is just to have that something that we continue every November.”

Town council’s motion last year specifically stated November 2018 to be proclaimed as Family Violence Prevention Month, therefore the request needed to come forward to council’s attention again in 2019. Administration’s recommended motion which was passed by council makes the proclamation stand on a go-forward basis in November for each coming year.

According to the Alberta Human Services’ website, “Alberta has the third highest rate of self-reported spousal violence among Canadian provinces, yet family violence is preventable.”

“This proclamation will bring awareness to an issue that affects families throughout Taber and Alberta, and shows the community’s support in preventing family violence,” said administration in their background to the decision.

The theme for 2019 is “Where we turn” which encourages community members to learn what resources are available in the community to support those affected by family violence.

Mayor Andrew Prokop officially signed the proclamation document during the Safe Haven Family Violence Awareness Walk celebrating the month on Nov. 6.

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