Cambridge Bay wants to build “safe homes” network

Cambridge Bay is looking for 25 homes in the community willing to become “safe homes” for victims of family violence. These homes will display a sign with an inuksuk wrapped in a purple ribbon — the symbol of those rallying against family violence — and be able to offer temporary shelter and assistance to those in need. (IMAGE COURTESY OF THE CAMBRIDGE BAY WELLNESS CENTRE)

Cambridge Bay’s Wellness Centre hopes to recruit 25 “safe homes” in this town of 1,500 which will be able to serve as temporary safe havens for victims of family violence.

The wellness centre operates a shelter — but sometimes there’s no time for a woman to think of contacting the shelter if she’s forced to leave her home quickly or is chased out into the cold, dressed only in underwear or wearing sandals, as happened to two women earlier this year.

“If it’s -63, there’s not a lot of time,” said Marie Ingram, the wellness centre’s director.

Cambridge Bay’s safe homes would display a small sign with an inuksuk wrapped in a purple ribbon in their windows. This would enable women or other victims of violence in need to quickly see where they could turn for help in an emergency.

The safe “purple ribbon” homes would be pre-screened, Ingram said, and their residents would be able to quickly call in the appropriate resources or emergency services.

Shelters and local battered women’s programs have used the purple ribbon — a symbol of courage, survival, honor and dedication to ending family violence — to raise awareness about domestic violence in their communities

The campaign to recruit safe homes, isn’t a national campaign, Ingram said, but an entirely local one.

It resembles the successful national “Block Parent” program in which window signs in homes tell children, seniors and others that help is at hand if they are lost, frightened, or in distress.

Cambridge Bay’s “purple ribbon” campaign was kicked off this past Saturday with a family dance that included square-dancing, food and games — along with some information about the Wellness Centre’s search for interested “purple ribbon” households.

At the same time, the Wellness Centre is kicking off a “Ladies Night,” open to women over 16. This will feature a film, Amy’s Story , which follows the timeline of a family violence homicide, and discussion group on family violence.

“Prevention is what we’re all about. Prevention and education,” Ingram said about the centre’s continuing efforts to stave off family violence in the community.

The first “Ladies Night” event starts this Thursday, Sept. 15 at 7:00 pm and features free non-alcoholic drinks, food, childcare and gifts for the participants at the Luke Novoligak community hall.