This month is Child Abuse Awareness Month and the non-profit Victoria Child Abuse Prevention and Counselling Centre is participating in a Go Blue campaign.
According to Statistics Canada, three in 10 Canadians have experienced childhood victimization (physical or sexual abuse).
“We know that children who don’t receive help for their trauma can then grow up and move on to have other issues that present in our society. Things like addictions, homelessness, disconnection with their families, unemployment, housing instability,” said Laura Vye, executive director of the centre.
Before working at the centre, Vye was a Saanich police officer for almost 24 years and specialized as a child abuse investigator.
“The issue of child abuse and children and youth being victims of crime has always been a really passionate area of investigation for me,” said Vye.
The former officer believes it’s important for everyone to help children who are experiencing abuse.
“We need to invest in children who are experiencing crisis and trauma abuse so that they can move on to have improved outcomes for their mental health, for their ability to move forward in life and be successful people in our society,” said Vye.
“In the long run, it will save everyone money if they invest in those kids.”
The centre receives core operational funding from the province’s Ministry for Children and Family Development only for sexually abused children and youth.
According to the centre, this means a child or youth who experiences other forms of abuse such as physical, witnessing family violence or neglect, may not receive the same services in a timely manner. Outside of the province’s funding, the centre relies on donations and grants written by themselves and other Victoria foundations.
Having more funding would better staff the centre, which served close to 500 children last year, according to Vye.
While Vye has been employed with the centre, she’s noticed that “with the increase in technology we can share information and provide education to people that way, which wasn’t around at the beginning of my career.”
Her colleague Shawna Paul Herlinveaux noticed the same thing.
“Some of the trends that I’ve seen, and the team in general has seen over the last almost 20 years, I think is definitely an increase in exposure to the different things on social media, how it’s altered relationships and how abuse can happen,” said Herlinveaux, manager of practice.
In January, VicPD reported an increase in sextortion, especially in teenage boys and young men.
“A lot of youth are at risk,” said Herlinveaux. “You have games like Fortnite or chats where you can chat with people. What ends up happening is these people who come on with the intention of harming children are very wise in knowing what to ask them, how to notice when they’re vulnerable, how to connect with them. ‘Oh, you’re alone or you’re feeling sad or depressed? Me too, let’s connect.’”
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Vye’s most rewarding part of her job is the transformation the children go through.
“They’re feeling really vulnerable and uncomfortable, but then they feel empowered and they feel heard and they feel confident and some of them even asked to come back after their process here is finished, they wanna come back and visit,” said Vye.
“A couple of children have come here and then asked if they could have a sleepover here because they find it so comfortable.”
In 1984, the Child Abuse Prevention and Counselling Society of Greater Victoria was founded by Mary Manning, who together with therapist Rita Milot began providing counselling services to child survivors of sexual abuse. When the agency was officially established in 1995, it was named the Mary Manning Centre. Now, the name has been changed back to reflect the services the centre provides.
The Centre is showing awareness by being part of the Go Blue campaign this month. According to Vye, the purpose of the campaign is so people are aware of the problem in the community, can learn more about it, and can support the campaign by wearing blue on Oct. 24.
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