Youth in Yorkton recognize Moose Hide Campaign Day

Yorkton, Sask. -

In recognition of May 16 being Moose Hide Campaign Day, Yorkton Shelwin House is partnering with Columbia School to bring awareness to the cause.

“We are a women's shelter and so we are constantly reminded of how much abuse there is in our society,” Dolores LeVangie, outreach and education coordinator of Shelwin House, expressed.

“As well, the campaign really focuses on bringing men and boys into the circle to be able to speak about domestic abuse and also take that step forward to change."

The nationwide movement focuses on men and boys taking action to end domestic gender-based violence against women and children, specifically Indigenous women and children.

Although the Indigenous led-movement originated in British Columbia back in 2014, it has since spread across Canada.

With close to 150 people attending the Yorkton morning event, people heard guest speakers share their stories about the issue. As well, students and other participants walked around the school grounds while carrying signs that advocated for the cause.

"We need to break the intergenerational cycles, we need to break the cycles of domestic violence,” Ivy Bear, a guest speaker and activist for the movement, said.

"I never wanted to be a victim of domestic violence, I never wanted to be in the situation I saw my mother in, or I never wanted to fall victim to a male.”

Bear comes from Cowessess First Nation. During the event, she shared her story with people and also pointed out that men and boys also face intimate partner violence.

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“I felt it was important to share that portion of my life, and my story, because it validates the system that we fail to recognize that men can be victims of domestic violence just like women can,” Bear told CTV News.

“When they are victims, there’s no place for them to go because a lot of times they don’t feel they’ll have the supports to that.”

Tashena Asham, the Indigenous Community Worker at Columbia School and co-organizer for the event, said educating youth about what domestic violence is at an early age will help prevent it from happening down the line.

"We have a lot of students that we may or may not know are impacted by domestic violence, family violence,” Asham expressed.

“I think it's important to spark those conversations and to build that community of advocacy and support for them, so that they know this kind of thing is not okay."

The Moose Hide pin acts as a symbol for the campaign as it is offered to those facing domestic and gender-based violence. The campaign was inspired by co-founders Raven and Paul Lacrete who went on an annual moose hunt along the Highway of Tears in British Columbia.

While May 16 marks the day for the campaign, people wear the pin all year around to take action for the movement.