This weekend, the city of Swift Current will welcome home hockey star and former NHLer Sheldon Kennedy while also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Western Hockey League.
Earlier this week, Swift Current Mayor Jerrod Schafer issued a public apology to Kennedy and other junior hockey players who had been sexually assaulted by their coach in the 1980s.
Events in Swift Current highlight the need for communities — including Kelowna — to keep children safe and to make the appropriate services accessible after trauma has occurred.
But in order for more people to get help, we have to first create an environment where asking for help is OK. One of the most important ways we can do this is by eliminating the culture of shame and blame that we have built around trauma and mental health issues. Brené Brown, a brilliant scholar, author and public speaker, suggests “empathy is the antidote to shame.” I wholeheartedly agree.
Click here to read the rest of our opinion piece in the Kelowna Daily Courier.
