JESSICA BURTNICK PHOTO

In partnership with SAIT Recreation, the ‘AKF Break the Cycle’ fundraiser and attempt to break the World Record for the most one-inch pine boards broken at the same time will be held on April 14.

The Ohtsuka Amateur Karate Foundation (AKF Karate) and the SAIT Karate club are adding the Guinness world record attempt to this years fundraiser in hopes of drawing more attention to the cause.

“We are trying to drive home the point, to stomp out domestic violence while raising funds for the Calgary Counselling Centre’s programs,” said Sensei Richard Fossey, head instructor of SAIT Karate.

“Breaking the boards is really easy, and it’s the perfect way to demonstrate the effectiveness of negative energy redirection,” said Fossey, who hopes to see people from all walks of life join the attempt.

A survey conducted in February, commissioned by the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters, found that eight per cent of Albertan males believe it’s acceptable to physically assault a woman who makes them angry. Four per cent think it’s acceptable to hurt a woman who withholds sex.

The survey is the first of its kind in Canada. It focused on examining the attitudes of men toward domestic violence by concentrating on over one thousand Alberta men.

Canadian Women’s Foundation Violence Prevention Programs director, Anuradha Dugal, believes that if tested, these attitudes would in all probability be the same across Canada.

“[These attitudes] exist everywhere…it’s reflective of men who believe they can control women,” said Dugal. “Abusers tend to have a similar profile, no matter where they are.”

According to Dugal, it’s not race, religion or economics but, “A man’s belief that he can have power over women.”

Violent crime across Canada has dropped to its lowest level since 1973, according to Statistics Canada, but domestic violence numbers have not changed since 2004.

As stated in the 2010 Statistics Canada numbers, “domestic violence affects about six per cent of women in Canada, and Alberta’s numbers in 2009 were one per cent higher, tied with Saskatchewan for top spot.”

It is for these reasons that AKF Karate, the Calgary Counselling Centre, and SAIT Recreation will be holding their event on Saturday, April 14, at the SAIT Main Gym in the Campus Building.

If you or someone you know would like to participate, please contact the SAIT Karate Club at 403-203-8710 or email: akfkarate@shaw.ca

Event Schedule
10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Demonstrations, Registration, and  Donations.
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m.: Guinness World Record Attempt(s)

Did you know…

Women continue to outnumber men nine to one as victims of assault by a spouse or partner. (Statistics Canada)

On average, more than half of all family homicides involved spouses, and three times as many women were killed by their spouses as were men killed by their spouses. (Health Canada)

Nearly three out of four (74 percent) of North Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. (Allstate Foundation International Poll on Domestic Violence)

Abuse is defined as, “Acts that result, or are likely to result, in physical, sexual and psychological harm or suffering to a woman, including threats of such an act, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty whether occurring in public or private life.” (Health Canada)