Local sports teams team up with Interval House to halt gender-based violence

Amid sexual assault allegations and investigations within Hockey Canada, sports teams in Hamilton are gearing up to halt gender-based violence in the community.

Sue Taylor with Hamilton’s Interval House, a support shelter for women says with help from the Tiger-Cats, Bulldogs, Forge FC, and others she’s heading back to classrooms and lockers rooms with “Be More Than a Bystander” a training and mentoring program to identify and prevent gender-based violence involving young people.

“We have been in a pandemic, or epidemic with gender-based violence, for years,” Taylor said.

Head of community partnerships with the Tiger-Cats Courtney Stephen serves as a “Be More Than a Bystander” ambassador. Stephen says it takes leadership and role models to mitigate toxic environments.

“The locker room is a unique place, it’s not a bad place but it’s a place where young men are forming themselves, their personalities, their beliefs,” Stephen said.

Taylor says spectators can expect to see the “Be More than a Bystander” public service announcements at all team home games.