A provincial government social media campaign that encourages British Columbians to speak up about domestic violence has been expanded to target attitudes towards sexual assault among young adults.
Dispelling myths and providing advice to victims and witnesses about where they can turn to are among the goals of #SaySomething, and Solictor General Mike Morris hopes it will help put a dent in a problem that has been grabbing headlines and producing big numbers.
"In recent months and years, we've seen extensive coverage in the media of disturbing, high profile incidents of sexual assault," Morris said during a media event at Prince George-based social agency that provides support for victims of sexual violence.
"Major media have highlighted incidents at UBC since 2013 and at UVic and in the surrounding neighbourhoods this year.
"And as (Premier) Christy Clark has noted, sexual violence appears to be more prevalent on university campuses than other places in our society."
According to the campaign's website, www.saysomethingbc.ca, in 2014 there were an estimated 70,000 sexual assault incidents in B.C. but only five per cent of them were reported to police.
One in three women will experience some form of sexual assault in her lifetime and only one in three Canadians know what sexual consent means, it's also stated on the website.
Leslie Tozer, the executive director of Surpassing Our Survival Society, where the event was held, said sexual assault is a power-based crime fueled by cultural values that normalize sexually-aggressive behaviour.
"And it's fueled by the acceptance of genderness such as male aggression equals strength is a desirable quality," Tozer said. "This belief is so ingrained in our society that it has made it uncomfortable or unsafe for men to speak out about sexual violence.
"This is a time in our history to stand together and make change."
Prior to entering politics, Morris, the MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie, was a Mountie for more than 30 years.
"Throughout my career in the RCMP, one of the most frustrating things that I found was the unwillingness of victims to say something, the unwillingness of witnesses to say something, and the unwillingness of family members to say something," Morris said.
"And I can understand it in the context that to have somebody to sit down and explain a horrific event to a police officer that they've never seen or known before is a traumatic event and we need to find a better way to make it safe for these people to come forward and that's what this SOS Society is all about.
"We need to do a better job of that, we need to encourage everybody to get out there an say something. Don't be quiet any longer, say something."
#SaySomething was launched a year ago to "end the silence" about domestic violence.
