Edmonton Police are hoping the re-launch of an edgy campaign will send a clear message to sexual assault predators in our city.
EPS along with the Sexual Assault Voices of Edmonton (SAVE) is re-launching the “Don’t be that Guy” campaign, which was initially launched in November 2010.
Campaign posters will soon be popping up around the city, and the campaign message is clear.
“Sex without consent is sexual assault,” said Staff Sergeant Shawna Goodkey with the EPS Sexual Assault Section.
Goodkey says in 2011 EPS investigated 40 percent of the reported sexual assaults in Edmonton. Of those, about 51 percent involved alcohol.
Police hope the posters will reach both predators and victims of sexual assault. They will soon be popping up in bars and lounges across the city.
“We’ve noted the 18 to 24 year old age category has (been) notably higher, in terms of alcohol use than any other age group,” Goodkey added.
Police are targeting sexual assault of all types, regardless of a person’s culture, ethnicity or sexual orientation. The re-launch of this campaign includes a poster depicting a same sex couple.
“They’re out there, believe me they are out there,” explained Mary Jane James from the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton.
- ‘Shock and disbelief’ after Manitoba school trustee’s Indigenous comments
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
- Several baby products have been recalled by Health Canada. Here’s the list
- ‘Sciatica was gone’: hospital performs robot-assisted spinal surgery in Canadian first
Every year the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton responds to 10,000 crisis calls.
“Statistics indicate only about eight percent of all sexual assaults are ever reported,” said James adding, “By these types of campaigns and getting our message out there, that the victim is never to blame, we’re very hopeful that that percentage of reports will increase.”
Experts say often victims of sexual assault feel it is their fault, and when alcohol is involved sometimes victims aren’t exactly clear on all of the details. They want to make it clear that sex must be consented to at all times.
“The clear line as articulated by the Supreme Court of Canada is that only yes means yes,” said Dr. Lise Gotell, Chair of Women Studies at the University of Alberta.
Gotell says often victims feel pressured by their perpetrators and may not know what constitutes consent.
“They don’t understand that giving someone an indication that they’re interested before they pass out or fall asleep doesn’t constitute consent,” Gotell said adding, “You need to be consenting in the moment.”
With more parties involving alcohol happening around the holidays, police hope the posters will keep the topic at the front of people’s minds.
“We want people to be thinking about this. We want people to make better choices,” Goodkey said adding, “If an opportunity, such as what you see in these posters arise, we want people to make better choices. We don’t want to be become involved. We want people to not be victimized.”
View the campaign posters below:
With files from Kendra Slugoski.
Comments