‘Violence is never the answer’: Assault survivor speaks out at BU event

An 18-year-old woman from Virden says the community support she’s received after being violently assaulted in a student parking lot outside Brandon University last week “means the world” to her.

Alexis Bukarz and her mother, Alison, showed their appreciation to more than 100 people who gathered in the university courtyard on Friday afternoon in solidarity against intimate partner violence.

“Remember, violence against your partner is never OK, and it’s OK to leave and get help. Recovery is possible,” Alexis said.

“Together we raise awareness and show that no one has to suffer in silence.”

Alexis was assaulted on March 12 and underwent brain surgery in Winnipeg. Luke Mathison, 20, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. None of the allegations has been tested in court.

Alexis said she had about 74 staples removed from her head on Friday and has a long journey of healing ahead, but she finds strength from her mother.

Alison said BU students and staff have gone “above and beyond” to show their support for her daughter, who’s a high school student set to graduate in June.

“It’s so overwhelming. At the same time, we’re so grateful and blessed to be a part of such an amazing community,” she said.

The mother said Alexis was discharged from the hospital two days ago and is now recovering at home.

Alison told the Sun that Alexis was assaulted inside a vehicle parked near Darrach Hall. She went upstairs to the accused’s dorm room, where she began having seizures.

She previously told the Sun that the Brandon hospital notified her shortly after midnight last Thursday that her daughter had a severe seizure and was the victim of a serious assault.

When she arrived at the hospital, Alexis was in a medically induced coma and had an epidural brain bleed, which occurs when blood accumulates between the skull and the outer membrane that covers the brain, Alison said.

Alexis was airlifted to the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg and had a craniotomy, where doctors removed a piece of her skull so they could drain any pooling blood before putting the skull back together with screws and plates, she said.

She remained in a coma until Saturday.

Alison wiped tears from her face as she thanked the large group of supporters for keeping her family in their thoughts after the incident.

“Violence is never the answer,” she said.

Jessica Laxdal, Brandon University’s sexual violence, education and prevention co-ordinator, said the gathering was meant to bring awareness to intimate partner violence and stand in solidarity with survivors.

“We stand with survivors, because no one should face violence alone. We stand with them because their safety, their dignity and their healing matters,” Laxdal said while speaking to the crowd.

She held hands with other faculty members, including university president Christine Bovis-Cnossen, as she turned to Alexis and said, “We are so sorry for what happened to you, and we are standing right behind you.”

The smell of sage wafted through the air as people bowed their heads to reflect during a two-minute moment of silence.

Before the gathering, Laxdal spoke with reporters and said the incident has sparked many conversations on campus about showing support for survivors of intimate partner violence.

“I think it’s extremely empowering for the survivors within this community to see that they are being seen, they are being heard, they are being believed, along with the survivor from last week, to see the community pull around and truly support her in a way that I haven’t seen yet since working on campus,” Laxdal said.

She provides support to students, staff and faculty members in relation to intimate partner violence and sexual violence, hearing “almost daily” about incidents.

“When you are living this type of experience, it can feel extremely isolating,” she said.

Her work involves helping people apply for protection orders at the courthouse, be a liaison between police and provide further resources to the Western Manitoba Women’s Centre or YWCA Westman Women’s Shelter.

“There are so many amazing organizations here in this community, and it can be very overwhelming once somebody has gone through a traumatic event. So, I’m really here just to connect them with those supports,” she said.

The Brandon Police Service said Mathison has a scheduled court appearance on April 7.

» tadamski@brandonsun.com, with files from Skye Anderson