News Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters publishes online quiz as part of awareness campaign on Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters publishes online quiz as part of awareness campaign on Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Online quiz will be available during Sexual Violence Awareness Month and will help inform professional training to improve future service delivery for intimate partner sexual violence Edmonton, Alberta, May 21, 2024—The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS) has developed a new quiz to better understand the needs of Alberta service providers when responding to Intimate Partner Sexual Violence (IPSV). “What do you Know?”: Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Awareness for Service Providers is one of many campaigns taking place throughout the month of May, which is Sexual Violence Awareness Month (SVAM) in Alberta. The month is dedicated to spreading awareness about sexual violence, with an ultimate goal of prevention. An estimated 1.8 million Albertans have experienced sexual abuse in their lifetimes, and a large proportion of those who access supports identify the person who harmed them as their intimate partner or ex-partner. IPSV is prevalent, and in many cases lethal, yet it is often misunderstood. Situated at the intersection of sexual violence and domestic violence, IPSV poses a variety of unique challenges when it comes to recognizing, understanding, and responding to this pervasive and dangerous issue. As a result, IPSV is often under-recognized, by both service providers as well as victims/survivors themselves, and thus, ultimately, under-served. The quiz results will help in the development of a new, in-depth training curriculum for service providers who may—directly or indirectly—work, volunteer, or support people who are experiencing or are recovering from IPSV. It will also inform a future public awareness campaign centered around IPSV. The quiz takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and participation is anonymous. It will be available until July 15, 2024. The quiz and its content were created in collaboration with the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services and the Indigenous Psychological Services. Supported by the Government of Alberta Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women, the quiz underscores our agencies’ collective commitment to empowering survivors and enhancing support services across the province. Backgrounder: ACWS Online Quiz on Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Quiz Title “What do you Know?”: Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Awareness for Service Providers Overview The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS) is launching an online quiz as part of its ongoing efforts to raise awareness of Intimate Partner Sexual Violence (IPSV). The quiz is designed to assess knowledge levels among service providers and inform future training initiatives to better support survivors of IPSV. The quiz is one of many activities taking place this May during Sexual Violence Awareness Month in Alberta. Intimate Partner Sexual Violence (IPSV) IPSV refers to sexual violence that occurs within the context of an intimate relationship. An estimated 1.8 million Albertans have experienced sexual abuse in their lifetimes, and a large proportion of those who access supports identify the person who harmed them as their intimate partner or ex-partner. IPSV is a pervasive issue affecting individuals across Alberta and presents unique challenges at the intersection of sexual violence and domestic violence. Survivors of IPSV often face barriers to disclosure and support, highlighting the need for enhanced understanding and response strategies among service providers. The quiz delves into topics about this serious issue: what is it, and why is it so harmful? What are some of the unique ways that it presents, why can it be difficult to disclose, and what are some of the challenges faced by both victims/survivors and those who serve them? Whether they encounter this issue in their day-to-day work, or it plays only an ancillary or indirect part of the work they do, service providers will have the opportunity to test their knowledge about this complex issue, and allow them to assess where there may be gaps in the ways they or their sectors understand and respond to IPSV. Purpose of the Quiz The ACWS online quiz aims to: assess the understanding of IPSV among a variety of service providers, and to give them the opportunity for self-assessment; identify areas for improvement in service delivery to survivors of IPSV; inform the development a new, in-depth, professional training program on IPSV; and inform the development of future public awareness campaigns. Participation and Collaboration ACWS invites service providers, professionals, and individuals interested in addressing IPSV to participate in the online quiz. By sharing their insights and experiences, participants will contribute to the collective effort to support those who have experienced or are experiencing IPSV. Supporting Partnerships The development of the quiz and its content was made possible thanks to the support of the Government of Alberta Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women. The quiz was created in collaboration with a committee of subject matter experts made up of the following individuals, whose depth of knowledge in the field helped identify and inform the content and scope of the quiz: Nora-Lee Rear, Executive Director, Camrose Women’s Shelter Society Tiffany Goebel, Training Coordinator, Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services Haley Scott, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services Cheryl Wallach, Communications Specialist, Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services Kelly Hawreliak, Indigenous Counsellor, Indigenous Psychological Services About ACWS To be notified about the upcoming training on intimate partner sexual violence and other ACWS events, sign up for ACWS’ newsletter at acws.ca. Contact: Jan Reimer Email: voice@acws.ca ACWS is the provincial network organization of domestic violence shelters in Alberta. We bring over four decades of experience and knowledge to serve our 42 members operating over 50 shelters across the province for women, their children, and seniors facing domestic abuse. We advocate for ACWS members and work with them to end domestic violence through culture-shifting violence prevention programs, collective data and research, and front-line training. With support from ACWS, Alberta shelters are helping to provide safety, support families, and improve communities.
