Sask. launches awareness campaign on abusive, violent relationships

The Government of Saskatchewan is encouraging people in the province to face the issues of abusive relationships and domestic violence.

The provincial government’s “Face the Issue” awareness campaign continued last week with a series of five videos on social media aiming to help educate 18- to 24-year-olds about potential red flags that warn about abusive relationships.

“There is unfortunately a range, and I think what this campaign seeks to address — coercive control, gaslighting, jealously that escalates to sexual abuse (or) to physical abuse — and to look at the warning signs,” Bronwyn Eyre, Saskatchewan’s justice minister and attorney general, said during a media conference.

“Watch for the warning signs, identify what they are, talk with someone and reach out.”

The campaign runs for six weeks on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, with audio messages also shared on Spotify.

The videos include young people describing uncomfortable situations in relationships, which can include coercive control, gaslighting and social isolation.

The videos mark the third phase of the campaign, which started with a poster campaign in 2020 and launched videos in 2021 and 2022.

“Its campaigns such as this that we hope will take it out of the shadows, and particularly around this latest phase which we are running (Monday),” Eyre said.

The Ministry of Justice said the theme of the new awareness videos is: “If something feels off, it probably is. Face the issue. End the abuse.”

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“We see young people on their devices a lot of the time,” Eyre said. “We know that people track each other and it can be very benign … but when do some of these lines get crossed into what is far more coercive and controlling and potentially abusive? That’s what we are trying to get out there in this campaign.”

Laura Ross, minister responsible for the status of women office, said prevention is essential to addressing the issues of abuse and violence.

“We really believe that education is what is going to change this kind of behaviour,” Ross said. “We all know that interpersonal violence is unacceptable, and our rates are unacceptable so what do we have to do? We have to change the dial.”

In Saskatchewan, a number of resources are available for those at risk of interpersonal violence or abuse, or for those who know someone in that situation.

Paul Merriman, Saskatchewan’s minister of corrections, policing and public safety, said violence is only part of the picture when it comes to abusive relationships.

“There are often many subtle signs and factors that come into play before abuse escalates,” Merriman explained in a statement.

“Raising awareness for younger adults about the early warning signs and forms of abusive behavior is an important step toward prevention and safety for everyone.”