ATHABASCA - In less than a year the Athabasca, Boyle and Lac La Biche Police-Based Victim Services Unit, which was created to replace the Athabasca Regional Victim Services Society,has seen tremenpus growth.
With three full-time and one part-time staff covering over 32,000 square kilometers and three RCMP detachments the need for volunteer advocates, as well as fundraisers, has become a pressing issue for general manager Melody Littell.
To be an advocate you must pass a background check then complete online and in-person training before being added to the on-call schedule. From there an advocate may accompany the RCMP to provide comfort to family members of a victim at the hospital or ensure the RCMP have car seats to transport children after an accident or domestic incident.
Sometimes it may be helping a victim of domestic abuse get to a safe place, whether it is the women’s shelter in Lac La Biche, a hotel, to a family member or someplace further away. It includes ensuring the victim’s basic needs are met.
“The Justice and Solicitor General does a pretty in-depth online training that describes who we are, what we are, what we do, the programs we offer and then goes into depth about around assaults, homicides, critical incident debriefing,” Littell explained. “There's training around the medical examiner and all kinds of training like how to do a next of kin notification.”
Advocates may be needed to attend court with the victim, but for now that is handled by the staff.
The full-time staff work in Athabasca, Boyle, Lac La Biche, Calling Lake, Buffalo Lake and every road and home in-between trying to meet the needs of the people they get referred to, but Littell wants the public to know they do not have to wait if they need help.
“It's one of those programs that you don't come in contact with us until something bad happens," Littell said, “How do we put out there that we can offer all these other things we can help connect you to?”
The unit can advise people on where and how to get a parenting order, an emergency protection order or a restraining order.
“Sometimes it's just being that person to talk to that people bounce stuff off of,” Littell added.
They're also seeking people to help with fund raising and to sit on the board.
Space is at a premium so the unit is unable to keep clothing or toiletries on hand and rely on donations to allow them and advocates the ability to buy things as needed, like diapers or essentials for someone fleeing domestic violence with only the clothes on their backs.
“That's the money we would use to pay for cabs to cab people places, to pay for whatever immediate needs,” Littell said. “We've sometimes had people had something happen and they've had to leave without underwear and a toothbrush.”
An open house that was to be held at the Athabasca RCMP Detachment Nov. 27 had to be postponed, but people who are interested in helping either as an advocate or with fundraising can contact Littell at the regional office in Lac La Biche.
