Walk participants ‘lead by example’

The sounds of drums and women’s voices in song echoed through Eighth and Ninth streets in downtown Brandon Friday morning as about 100 participants took part in the annual Grandmothers Walk.

The event, in its seventh year, aims to raise awareness about the sexual exploitation of children and youth.

Before the walk, the crowd gathered at Princess Park showing solidarity in orange shirts and ribbon skirts, which are worn during ceremonies to evoke pride and a spiritual connection to the earth.

Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett was also in attendance alongside Brandon Police Chief Tyler Bates and Deputy Chief Greg Hebert.

As she had done in previous years, Lisa Noctor stood in front of the assembled group and said she was speaking up for the survivors who couldn’t.

“This is a real issue — this takes people’s dignity and hurts them in the deepest way that you can hurt,” Noctor said. “We need to be talking about this every day.”

The walk was organized by the Sexual Exploitation Awareness Team Westman.

Sexual exploitation is the sexual abuse of children and youth involving the exchange of sex or sexual acts for money, shelter, protection, food, drugs or other basics of life.

The majority of those abused by sexual exploitation are women and girls, but it also affects boys and men.

Brandon grandmother Priscilla Benn walked with a granddaughter on each hand. They were all dressed for the elements and Benn said the cooler temperatures and light mist were no deterrent.

“I have to lead by example,” she said. “That’s why it’s important to be here. We as grandmothers have so much love — we’re protectors.

“It’s an honour and a blessing to be a positive influence in their lives. And I always tell them,” Benn said looking at each child, “we don’t go with people we don’t know.”

There were several boys and men who walked alongside the young girls and women, including Dyllin Houselander and Timothy Bowen.

“I’m here,” said Bowen, “for the grandmothers, mothers, aunties and sisters who are my relatives, co-workers and female friends.

“As First Nations people, we talk about balance between a man and a woman, and how we can come together and balance things out spiritually and physically. That’s why it’s important to me,” Bowen said.

Houselander said being from a younger generation, he felt an obligation to show his support.

“It’s happening to young people, so I’m just trying to be there for others and to be a shoulder. I had something happen to me, so it’s important to get together and share stories. It’s part of healing,” Houselander said.

Speaking to the Sun after the walk, Noctor said there is a misconception that sexual exploitation only happens in Brandon’s downtown.

“We need to stop pretending this is a downtown problem. Downtown is where the hurt people are doing their best to exist,” she said.

“If we really want to look at the roots of these problems, we need to look in the west end, and we need to look at our farm communities.”

Noctor also said the Brandon Police Service needs to fill the vacant counter-exploitation position on the force.

Bates acknowledged the sexual exploitation officer position has been vacant at least since he was hired in October 2024, but said it is weeks away from being filled.

“One of the challenges that we’ve had over this past year is having many support functions of our police service unstaffed because of our vacancy rate, and one of those positions is our sexual exploitation youth officer position,” Bates said.

“So, we are in the selection process, and by early October we will have our next sexual exploitation youth officer.”

He added: “It’s important that officers are aware of what human trafficking looks like, what sexual exploitation looks like, in terms of being able to identify the signs of that activity.

“Because when you’re able to identify that activity, it gives you a starting place with respect to preventing it.”

Grandmothers Walk began in Winnipeg in 2007. It started with grandmother and elder Margaret Lavallee, who found out that a 12-year-old girl was impregnated by the child’s grandfather and was then cast out of her community.

There is a toll-free Manitoba number to call that provides 24-7 support and counselling to trafficked persons or anyone affected by trafficking. Resources and referrals are also offered, as well as a reporting option if someone is unable or unwilling to contact police. Klinic Community Health is 1-844-333-2211.

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

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