Little Warriors, a national organization dedicated to awareness and prevention of child abuse, is hosting a workshop in Fernie on Oct. 29 at Fernie Secondary School. The Prevent It! workshop is a three-hour seminar open to anyone over the age of 18.
“Parents, caregivers, first responders, basically anyone in the community will benefit from this workshop,” said Kylie Philpotts, who is organizing the Fernie event. “Over the course of the three hours, workshop participants will view a DVD, and complete both individual and group activities within a workbook. It is a fascinating workshop designed to bring awareness and education to the valley.”
Philpotts believes that a workshop dedicated to the prevention of child sexual abuse is beneficial, as child abuse affects many families across Canada.
“I believe that a workshop like this is important because research shows that in Canada, one in six girls and one in 12 boys experience some form of sexual abuse in their lifetime,” said Philpotts. “It is essential to understand how to educate our children, and how to positively respond to a disclosure of sexual abuse. Studies also show that if a perpetrator believes a child could or would tell an adult, the child is less likely to become a victim. This workshop does a wonderful job on educating adults on how to openly discuss personal safety with children.”
Little Warriors hosted a Prevent It! workshop in Elkford last month. The event is supported by the Fernie Women’s Resource Centre and the Sexual Abuse Intervention Program (SAIP). The workshop is offered free of charge and people can register online through the Little Warriors Facebook page or their website, Littlewarriors.ca