YWCA CEO to speak at Thursday’s SACPA session

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lethbridge YWCA and Harbour House Women’s Emergency Shelter are anticipating the instances of severe domestic violence to increase and staff are fearful for safety of women in the community who are in abusive relationships.

This week’s Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs speaker will elaborate on the local situation and also discuss who is providing the essential funding to this lifesaving safety net service in Lethbridge.

Shannon Hansen has over 23 years of experience in supporting and advocating for individuals with complex needs in the community. Hansen has worked as the director of McMan Youth, Family and Community Services and as the Housing First Specialist at the City of Lethbridge. Currently Hansen is the CEO of the YWCA.

In a crisis situation, people’s fears and anxieties often increase, and with it a threat to job and income. There is a fear about how their families will survive. Being isolated from their community and normal social interactions can make situations even worse, which can lead to situations people aren’t familiar with and those who have been in a violent relationship before may see the abuse escalate even further.

With domestic and sexual violence as part of the YWCA’s programming, Hansen is passionate about connecting the resources and supports to those who need them. This SAPCA session will take place on Thursday at 10 a.m. on the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs YouTube channel at

https://youtu.be/LV532UIydw4

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In order to ask questions of the speaker in the chat feature of YouTube, you must have a YouTube account and be signed in.

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