The mission of the Moose Hide Campaign is to spread a simple message: together, we can end gender-based violence. The energy of the campaign comes from individuals and organizations helping spread this message, whether that’s through social media, conversations with friends and family, or distributing the very heart of the campaign—the moose hide pin.
Last year, the Regina Sexual Assault Centre (RSAC) partnered with their local public library system to distribute pins to people visiting the library on Moose Hide Campaign Day, which takes place every year in May.
With the support of the Regina Transition House, the RSAC set up a booth at the Connaught and George Bothwell library branches. The library displayed books on subjects like the history of residential schools and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The goal of the booth was to start conversations about the realities of sexual violence, share information on resources available within the community, and spread awareness on urgent topics that are not easy to talk about.
The Regina Sexual Assault Centre supports people who have experienced sexual violence, both directly and indirectly. They offer services like counselling for anyone from the age of five and older and a 24-hour crisis line. The organization is also involved in behind-the-scenes work, like training for police officers and community education sessions.
Chantelle Priel, RSAC’s Public Education & Outreach Coordinator, said everyone is affected by sexual violence in some way. That’s why getting out into the community is so important.
“Every person interacts with a survivor every day, whether they’re aware of it or not,” said Priel. “Whose job is it to create a solution to end violence within communities? Well, it’s everybody’s job. We all have a role to play, and including men in that conversation is such a huge step in the right direction for long-term effects.”
Priel believes that education around topics like gender-based violence and systemic trauma are often lacking in our society, and that’s why having a presence in a public space like a library is so vital.
“Sex is a taboo topic in our communities, let alone sexual assault and abuse,” she continued. “Often these things just aren’t talked about, so when there’s a campaign like Moose Hide that’s specifically addressed towards creating conversations about violence in our communities, it’s a really huge deal.”
At the end of the day at the library branches, the RSAC distributed every single moose hide pin to people who were passing by. The organization plans to partner with the library system again for this year’s Moose Hide Campaign Day.
Moose Hide Campaign Day takes place on May 11, 2023. It’s a day of ceremony where all Canadians are called to join together to take a stand against violence towards women and children and to take practical steps for our collective journey of reconciliation.
Do you want to join the movement in your own community? You can order pins here and learn how to host your own event here.
Moose Hide Campaign Day includes speakers, workshops and a walk to end violence. Across Canada, there will be hundreds of community-organized walks. If there are none taking place in your area, you can watch the live stream of the Walk to End Violence taking place at the Legislature in Victoria, BC. A live stream of the entire Moose Hide Campaign Day in Victoria will also be available for anyone to watch.