Domestic abuse constituted the biggest number of cases where volunteers and staff with Bow Valley Victim Services Association were called in to help and support people.
According to the BVVSA’s 2013-2014 year-end report, domestic abuse was the most frequent occurrence responded to by the program in 2013/14, as has been the case in past operational years.
“Over the past year, assistance was provided to 153 individuals directly affected by domestic abuse in 127 separate occurrences – a 13 per cent increase when compared to the previous operational year,” stated the report.
BVVSA, which just completed its 20th year of operations, offers 24-hour, seven day per week, on-call assistance to victims requiring immediate trauma intervention, emotional support and practical assistance.
The group works with RCMP from Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise and Kananaskis, and serves Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, Exshaw, Kananaskis, Harvie Heights, Lac Des Arcs, Dead Man’s Flats and Saskatchewan River Crossing, as well as millions of visitors.
Over a 20-year period from April 1994 to April 2014, BVVSA helped 10,184 people victimized by crime and trauma, responded to 1,331 crisis calls, assisted with 4,711 separate occurrences, helped 1,081 individuals in court and conducted educational presentations to 19,400 people.
In the past 12 months alone, the program has assisted 1,052 individuals in 326 different occurrences, a significant increase in the number of people assisted when compared with the 2012/13 operational year.
This increase is due to the June 2013 Southern Alberta floods. As a result of the floods, the BVVSA assisted 485 people.
“This assistance included crisis response directly after the flood occurred; assistance with short-term housing needs; longer-term follow-up with flood affected families and the organization of respite weekends for flood affected families,” stated the year-end report.
Over the 2013-14 operational year, BVVSA helped with murder/attempted murder, six suicide/attempted suicide occurrences, three separate fatal motor vehicle incidents, 19 sexual assault occurrences, nine child abuse files, six robberies and 18 assault occurrences.
While more individuals were helped than the previous year, there was not a significant increase in the total number of files when compared to previous years. The report said 159 BVVSA files originated in Canmore, 138 in Banff, 17 in Lake Louise and 12 in Kananaskis Country.
Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen said so many people and organizations appreciate the work by BVVSA.
“Thank you for all the work you do,” she said during a recent meeting.
The total number of hours volunteers contributed to assisting victims of crime in 2013/14 was 11,485 hours (including advocate on-call hours). This was a slight increase in volunteer hours, when compared to our 2012/13 operational year.
