MONTREAL -- In the wake of the seven femicides committed in less than two months in Quebec, SOS Violence Conjugale launched a social media campaign on Sunday evening to invite the public to express support for victims or to raise awareness among their loved ones.
Recently, the organization, which directs survivors to different resources, collaborated with web agency Locomotive to create different visuals that users can post on their Facebook and Instagram accounts.
"Feeling coerced, restricted, controlled, monitored ...This is violence. I'm here for you" and "7 femicides in 7 weeks. Not one more" are among the messages made available to the public on the organization's website.
The objective is to raise awareness to the issue so that the public can support victims of domestic violence.
"We hope that many Quebecers will come on board with us to express their concern about this problem to their loved ones and open a door that can perhaps allow some victims to seek help before it is too late, before there are other extreme acts of violence," said Claudine Thibaudeau, a social worker responsible for clinical support at SOS Violence Conjugale. "We want to create a safety net around the victims."
Men can also express their solidarity directly with the banner "I am your friend, your brother, your father, your neighbour, your colleague...I am here for you." This message also has a female version.
"Men have not been asked enough to say that they are there for the victims," Thibaudeau said.
According to the social worker, this publication, adapted for men, can also be used to raise awareness among their friends who may have engaged in violent behaviour.
INCREASE IN CALLS
Since the beginning of the pandemic, SOS Violence Conjugale has seen an increase in calls for help. The organization has received an increase of 7,000 more calls during the 2019-2020 year.
The number of requests has recently accelerated due to recent incidents reported in the media. Last week, the agency fielded 200 calls per day, compared to a daily average of 90 last year.
"For some survivors, it makes them realize the potential danger to which they are exposed. It also worries people who call us saying, "I'm afraid that my cousin, my neighbour, my friend is the next statistic," Thibaudeau said.
In an interview Sunday night on Radio-Canada's Tout le monde en parle, Quebec's Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety, Genevieve Guilbault, said that domestic violence is also a collective responsibility.
"We all have to refuse violence and decide that we will do everything we can to stop it. This means being attentive to the signs, the signals," she said.
Guilbault promised once again that her government will provide the money needed to support shelters for female victims of violence, including a series of initiatives that will also be set up regarding crimes committed against women.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2021.
