REGINA – A local police officer is being rewarded for his work against sexual assault in our city.
Last March, Insp. Evan Bray of the Regina Police Service approached the Regina Sexual Assault Centre with the idea of bringing the “Be More than a Bystander” program into the city. Since then, it’s grown into a provincial campaign.
“One of the fundamental precepts of the program is that men and boys must become more involved in ending violence towards women and girls,” Debra House, Regina Sexual Assault Centre’s executive director, explained.
Twenty-five thousand youth, mostly boys, will hear the program’s message this year through a series of community speakers and role models. That will be followed up by ad campaigns and public service announcements.
Saskatchewan holds the dubious distinction of maintaining the highest rates of domestic violence in Canada.
“It’s changing the attitudes and showing that it’s important and not ‘cool’ to speak badly or derogatory about women,” Insp. Bray said.
“We focus a lot on how an attitude can really affect behaviour, and we’re trying to change behaviour by changing attitudes.”
He accepted the Regina Sexual Assault Centre’s first annual Ulmer-Hildebrant award. It’s an honour that’ll be presented each year to a person or group making important contributions towards ending violence in our community.
“It’s very humbling,” Insp. Bray said.
“I accept the award on behalf of our committee because it is a big group of people that help put this together and each one of those people at the table represents a different organization.”
“I’m humbled and excited, and I look at it as a real positive start to what I think is going to be a great campaign.”
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