Breakfast with the Guys is coming to Whitecourt

 

By Laura Bohnert

 

On October 25, the men of Whitecourt will be meeting over a catered breakfast to talk about how men can help stop violence and abuse against women and girls in Whitecourt.

 

The event is being hosted by the Whitecourt Family Violence Initiative and forms a part of the “Breakfast with the Guys” initiative that is going on throughout the province, explains Lesley Lawton, Family Violence Liaison.

 

Breakfast with the Guys is a program that invites male leaders to talk to other male members of the community about the important role men can play in the lives of women and girls who are living with abuse. The initiative has been spreading throughout the province for the past few years in response to Alberta’s high rate of domestic violence. As of 2015 statistics, Alberta had the second-highest number of reported domestic violence cases in the country.

 

“Breakfast with the Guys is an initiative that is designed to help engage men in the conversation about violence against women,” explains Lawton. “The speaker, from the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters, will be talking about what’s happening, what you can do if you see something as bystander—sort of an everyday guide to help end violence against women.”

 

“It is a male event,” says Lawton, who adds that “it is good to get male involvement on the issue. The vast majority of men are not abusers, so the presentation will be geared towards helping those men learn how they can help when they notice that something is happening.”

 

“It gets the conversation started,” Lawton stresses, noting that, during the presentation, they will be addressing statistics on cases of violence against women that are happening right in Whitecourt.

 

“The speakers for the presentation come from different angles of the community,” notes Lawton. Speakers will include Tuval Dinner Nafshi, a violence prevention educator who specializes in healthy relationships, consent, gender equity, and healthy masculinity. Other speakers will include a representative from the RCMP, Bill McAree will be acting as MC, and Becky Wells of Wellspring will be providing information on the different services and supports that are available to victims of violence and abuse in Whitecourt.

 

Following Breakfast with the Guys, Nafshi will also be presenting a talk called “Leading Change” at Hilltop High School and École St. Joseph School.

 

“It’s a good opportunity to engage with youth and young people on the topic of violence and abuse against women,” explains Lawton. “It’s all part of getting the message out there.”

 

Registration for Breakfast with the Guys is now closed, but it is hoped that a strong turnout will help bring the event back to Whitecourt in the future—and help to keep the conversation going. “We’re hoping we can raise awareness both about violence against women and girls, and about the services the Family Violence Initiative offers,” Lawton concludes. “If we can get momentum and the conversation going, in the future maybe it won’t be as stigmatized for a man to go to an event like this.”

 

For more information about the upcoming event, or about the Family Violence Initiative, visit their website at www.whitecourtfvi.ca or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.