CALGARY – The 2018 Calgary Stampede will mark the fourth year of the successful #SafeStampede movement which encourages a safe and respectful Stampede for everyone. The Calgary Stampede is a great celebration of our city’s community spirit with so much for Calgarians and visitors to enjoy. The #SafeStampede initiative aims to ensure everyone feels welcome to participate safely, everywhere from Stampede Park, BBQs, headliner concerts and lively dance halls.
“The Calgary Stampede is proud to continue our support for this important initiative. We want all guests to feel safe at The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth, while treating each other with dignity and respect,” said Warren Connell, CEO of the Calgary Stampede. “We believe putting on a cowboy hat is an opportunity to elevate behaviour and I would encourage all citizens to be active bystanders – if you see something, say something.”
The hashtag #SafeStampede was started in 2015 by a group of local Calgarians to encourage respectful behaviour and to spark conversations about sexual harassment. The community members connected with the Calgary Sexual Health Centre (which has recently been renamed the Centre for Sexuality), and the organization jumped on board with support on social media and by creating the campaign website at www.SafeStampede.ca.
“We see #SafeStampede as a forum to raise conversations about consent. It’s an important opportunity to provide education about inappropriate behaviour, and also to celebrate positive and respectful behavior,” said Pam Krause, CEO of the Centre for Sexuality.
The #SafeStampede initiative is a powerful addition to the Centre’s extensive work around consent education, particularly their #CalgaryGetsConsent project which was announced during 2017’s #SafeStampede kick off media event. The #CalgaryGets Consent project aims to continue the #SafeStampede conversation around consent beyond the 10 days of the Stampede and throughout the entire year.
“Building on the success that we’ve had with the Calgary Stampede and the community with #SafeStampede, we launched the #CalgaryGetsConsent project last June,” explained Krause. “Along with our project partners, we have provided several free training workshops for night clubs, organizations, venues and festivals in Calgary and beyond over the past year.”
In addition to training Calgary Stampede employees for their Nashville North venue and other employees across Stampede Park, the #CalgaryGetsConsent team facilitated 52 workshops to more than 2,160 participants in the past year. These workshops have been delivered in a variety of settings, including 13 bars/clubs in Calgary, four festivals, and four post-secondary institutions.
“Our #CalgaryGetsConsent crew is ready to help create a #SafeStampede for everyone,” Krause continued. “We ask all Calgarians to be an example of our city’s welcoming spirit. And we encourage any and all venues and festivals across the city to consider our free workshops to help ensure a safe, fun experience for all your guests and staff.”
Visit www.SafeStampede.ca to learn more about the #SafeStampede initiative. For more details on the #CalgaryGetsConsent project’s free training workshops and other resources, visit www.CalgaryGetsConsent.ca. Join the conversation on social media with the hashtags #SafeStampede and #CalgaryGetsConsent.
Media contact:
Pam Krause, CEO
Centre for Sexuality
Phone: (403) 283-5580 ext. 314
Email: pkrause@centreforsexuality.ca
