Some event businesses in the province are still struggling with COVID-19 related restrictions and some have suggested that they feel overlooked as other businesses have been encouraged to get back to running as usual when they still haven’t had the green light yet.
Just recently in BC there were a number of BC gyms and yoga studios that were posting across social media to raise awareness for closures and to advocate for gyms and other similar venues being important for the mental health of communities around the province.
Critics said that it was just a move by some for attention, but for many who shared their stories on social media it was about a lot more than a few likes on Twitter or Instagram.
Under the tags like #FreeBC and #OperationGreenLight you can find a variety of posts that had been shared by yoga studios, gyms, and other businesses in the province. Just recently there were some changes announced that those gyms could start to reopen but not everyone can go back to business just yet in the province.
You can find some in the event space for example that are calling for more consideration so that they can try to return to normal as well. For some of those businesses in BC in that space right now they feel overlooked as other venues have had the go ahead while they are still waiting for the rules to change.
Waiting To Get Back To Business
It is because of those restrictions on indoor gatherings and more that still remain that a number of businesses are still struggling and waiting to get back to normal.
Catering businesses, wedding businesses, and others in the event industry space for example, are still waiting to find out what might be in store for the future. This means a number of British Columbians aren’t back to their jobs in those spaces just yet as those restrictions keep those businesses operating under a certain limit until things can return more to normal.
A number of those within the industry for those event services have suggested that they know how to carry out their services safely and are urging for consideration so that they too can get back to business.
A teenager from NC has been rescued after successfully using a TikTok hand gesture to signal to others that she was in trouble.
The hand gesture, known as the TikTok distress signal, went viral previously on TikTok and was originally developed in Canada by the Canada Womne’s Foundation to address violence at home during the pandemic.
The distress signal from TikTok that the teen used is a way for others to signal that they need help without having to say anything. By using a simple hand gesture that displays an open palm with the thumb tucked in, and then you close your fingers over the thumb trapping it in, this signals that you are in need of help.
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TikTok Distress Signal Helps Save NC Teen
The teen in NC allegedly flashed the TikTok distress signal more than once on the road and finally someone was able to recognize it and get her the help that she needed. Now one man has been arrested who is accused of holding her hostage.
Canadian Women’s Foundation #SignalForHelp
Isolation during the pandemic meant that some saw an increase in domestic violence at home and the Canadian Women’s Foundation came up with a simple but effective solution to help. That solution is the hand signal going viral on TikTok and now other platforms, that is used to signal for help without using any words.
News about that distress signal has gone viral now after the story broke of how one teen in the US was able to use it to get help.
The Canadian Women’s Foundation details on their site more about The Violence At Home Signal For Help, which is a one handed sign to be used to signal in a safe way that someone is in need of help.
The distress signal or ‘Signal For Help’ as it has also been referred to, is a tool from the Canadian Women’s Foundation that is meant to help victims by providing them with a way to signal for help in a discreet manner.
A number of people who are currently living in RVs and camper vans in the area of East 12th Ave and Slocan Street have been told to leave or face eviction in a few days on May 26 2021.
The City of Vancouver has already told the homeless community who are living in these vans and cars to leave the area which is where they’ve reportedly been living for at least 2 years now.
It’s alleged that they are not willing to leave yet until they can be offered housing, somewhere to go to after leaving that current spot. But in Vancouver there is a housing crisis right now and not an abundance of affordable housing to go around.
It’s also prohibited for people who have no other options to be able to live in those types of camper vans in most areas around the city. Overnight parking is restricted and large RVs are expected to keep moving every few hours.
It isn’t an ideal option for many but for some it is all they have got.
Some of those RV residents are allegedly calling for affordable housing solutions that match welfare and pension rates, permanent solutions that they can move to.
It isn’t their goal to be displaced and go through that experience on multiple occasions either and it has been difficult for them to find a safe place to settle.
Around the province we have seen authorities give notice on one occasion or another to homeless communities who have set up tent cities or been living in camper vans etc.
Many in the province who are struggling to keep their roof over their head might just be one emergency away, one accident, one job loss etc, from losing their own home and ending up on the street.
The cost of living here in the Metro Vancouver area is among the highest in the world and many individuals and families struggle because of it just to afford the basics to get by.
A number of those camper vans might not be running or insured and so there is more than just the amount of time they might be spending on the street that’s a problem for the city. They are facing eviction right now as of May 26 in a few days from now.
It’s reported that there are resources and outreach workers connecting with the community. They are hoping to try and bring some of those individuals into contact with links to income, housing, and other transition support.
If they don’t show signs of working to get moving though it sounds like they will be facing a physical eviction in the way of being ticketed and getting their vehicle towed. For anyone that can find a legal space to park on private property the city is allegedly going to be offering free towing.
This year the City of Vancouver decided that they were going to cancel conducting the annual homeless count for 2021 because of the pandemic. The traditional count wasn’t possible to carry out but they will reportedly be looking at alternative data to assess the situation for this year in the city.
Last year it was estimated that some 2,095 people or more in Vancouver were experiencing homelessness.
B.C. has already been underway with its reopening plans for some time now. We have been told that a new normal is coming sometime this year, perhaps by summer. Then we got word that things were going in the opposite direction and now new restrictions have been announced.
The changes in COVID-19 rules to indoor activities and other social engagement has been causing a bit of confusion, anger, and anxiety. With the back and forth message it can be difficult for people to keep up and to understand with what they should be doing right now.
Of course there are going to be many who are disappointed with the new restrictions, especially when spring is here and the weather is starting to get warmer out. People want to go out and enjoy the sunshine they want to picnic in the park, go to the lake or beach, have lunch outside on the patio.
Now things are going to be changing for a few weeks and we aren’t sure if those restrictions will be later extended and we could face another lock down this summer if that happens.
It might not be as severe as what we had last year but for now non-essential travel is still prohibited and we’re encouraged to stay in our own communities, stay home when possible, social distance, and continue to keep up with safety measures like masks and more.
Some say that the government acted too slow to the variants that were growing as a threat in the region. That maybe this new restriction to daily life is too little to late to really make a difference. But all they can do is try to navigate this problem safely for us all. Right now the variants are causing more of a problem for younger people, with hospitalizations growing and variants accounting for a larger number of cases.
Now, health officials warn, is not the time to get complacent with distancing or masks.
There was no real warning given for these changes and no one could have guessed really that this was coming. Not after there had been optimistic discussion in recent weeks about that new normal and things starting to look better. The announcement came as a shock to many, and probably a great deal of those in the restaurant or fitness community that again now have to close their doors to a lot of business.
The changes to talking about non-essential travel and indoor religious services right ahead of Easter are causing a lot of confusion. This is because changes were just recently made to religious services to make more allowances for the Easter celebration, but religious leaders apparently knew that this could’ve been changed at the last minute. There were going to be some limited allowances for indoor services but now they cannot look forward to that any longer. It has also been reiterated to the public that they should avoid travel if it is non-essential right now. That means not driving up to a mountain for a ski vacation on the weekend, that is not going to be deemed essential travel.
Those in British Columbia are encouraged to stay in their own communities still at this time to help slow the rise of variants we are seeing.
Restaurants have been struggling severely since last year when the pandemic hit and now they are going to have to go through it once again, closing their doors for indoor dining services just when things were starting to really turn around with the weather getting nicer.
There isn’t much time left in the ski season so the announcement of Whistler closing was a shock to many and sad news to take in for those who wanted to be up there taking advantage of their season pass. They’ve indicated on their social media that they hope this will only be something that is temporary and that they hope to reopen in several weeks to finish out the season.
B.C. is said to be going through the 3rd wave right now and patience has been encouraged for all British Columbians to ride this out as safety as possible. Being patient is all we can do while changes surrounding COVID-19 continue to go back and forth as officials try to navigate their way through this problem.
One of the hardest things to take care of and deal with going through all of this, is trying to get everyone the same information so that they can adjust their actions accordingly. If those making the restriction changes can get that information out efficiently, or prepare people for those changes that might be coming with some sort of warning ahead of time, then that information might likely be better received.
After a recent incident went viral of someone who had been allegedly stalking a woman around the Vancouver region, a larger discussion is taking place about safety now. Some women don’t feel safe walking home at night, especially after hearing recent stories about one woman or another who went missing in the B.C. region. Now, one coffee shop has responded in offering up a safe space for those who might need it.
Harken Coffee in Vancouver has recently announced that they would offer their cafe as a safe space to anyone that feels threatened in the region.
To those in the region that might feel unsafe or that they are being followed, they are invited to come and use the coffee shop as a safe spot. This was a message that was posted to the social media account of the coffee shop recently. It shows that there are many in the community who want to show support for this issue and do what they can to provide a solution to the problem.
Recently, a woman was walking around the Vancouver region and she thought that a man was allegedly following her. She started to record the video, in the video you can see someone following behind her in the same direction, and that video later went viral. It’s also reported that other victims have now also come forward with stories of their own about allegedly being followed or feeling unsafe etc. As well, the police have allegedly identified the man in the video, but the stalking victim has said that this might not be the same man who had followed her on that day.
Authorities in the region have cautioned anyone to report any incident about feeling threatened, unsafe, or like they are in a similar situation of being stalked etc.
The police have said that they managed to identify the person of interest which didn’t take them very long after the video went viral. However, according to media reports the victim didn’t recognize the photos that were shown to her by police. This has caused her to believe that it might not be the same person.
The victim says that she is now worried about any individuals who might not let their guard down because they think the threat has been diminished, with the individual who is in custody. She has warned the public that she still thinks people should be vigilant, keep their eyes and ears open.
This isn’t the first incident that has made headlines about women being stalked or harassed in the downtown Vancouver region. There have also been stories circling recently about several women that have gone missing from B.C. and their bodies haven’t been recovered yet. This has caused some to question if women are safe or what they might be able to do to help boost their own safety while going from day to day. This has been a reality check for many and a wake up call to stay vigilant, especially when out walking the streets at night or early in the morning.
After it was reported that the woman had allegedly been stalked, with the video going viral, the police quickly launched an investigation and it didn’t take long for it to be reported that they had someone in custody. The video clearly shows someone walking behind her and they are wearing a mask. Now that her story has been shared it has inspired others to come forward with their own tales. Thankfully for Coutts, she had video evidence to support her story, not everyone has that opportunity. This can help authorities to be able to better assess the situation and use what they can, if anything, to track down the individual.
The police investigation into the Vancouver stalking incident is still reportedly ongoing for now. It might go on to help some individuals to think twice about their surroundings, even if they are just out to check the mail or walk the dog, or just walking from their car into their home. It only takes a moment for something to happen.
Stories like these remind women and others to remain aware and pay attention to what they are doing, what’s happening all around them at all times. Not only has this cafe offered up a safe space but other solutions have also been shared. Some have even offered free self defense classes to women. It’s clear there is a lot of community support for this issue, people want to feel safe when out living their daily lives and Vancouver is generally a safe place to live.
The coffee shop offering that safe space in Vancouver as well, Harken Coffee, also said that they would help to contact authorities or a women’s shelter if needed.
They would also allow the individual to access the back door to get out if they felt threatened and wanted that help to escape. Or they could simply wait safely inside until someone else is able to come and pick them up safely. Anyone in trouble would be able to go into the cafe and use the ‘code order’ to get help.
Businesses like this that will open their doors to those in need and in a time of crisis can play a significant role to potentially save lives in our communities when things become unsafe.
Women have vanished from the downtown Vancouver region before and around other areas of BC. Just recently there have been several women who have been reported missing, from Port Coquitlam, Chilliwack, and other areas. Now this video of a woman in Vancouver being stalked isn’t helping.
The victim in the recent video of the Vancouver stalking incident showed that the woman had been followed for at least 40 minutes. It wasn’t until she managed to go up to a group and get help that the situation changed. This adds to reported assaults rising in the region. Not everyone is always fortunate enough to have their phone with them, or to be able to find someone for help.
Taking Personal Safety Seriously
The issue of personal safety is one that should always be at the forefront, and there are a variety of resources to access that can help. That might mean reporting threats, accessing a shelter, or taking some self defense classes etc. It’s easy to become forgetful and not pay attention to our surroundings and if this discussion can help any individuals to keep that safety in mind, it might go on to help save a life down the road. The Vancouver stalking incident should remind us that this can happen even in the downtown Vancouver region, even in broad daylight.
Experts Share Safety Tips After Recent Vancouver Stalking Incident
As a part of some of those solutions now you can find a variety of experts sharing personal safety tips and more.
One personal protection officer has recommended a variety of personal safety tips like not allowing a potential predator to walk behind you, stepping to the side of the sidewalk and allowing them to pass but make eye contact as they pass. Being assertive, keeping focus on any potential threat, using a flashlight.
The biggest piece of advice some safety experts recommend? That might be knowing where you are at all times, and being fully aware of exit routs if they are needed. Rely on people, look to others that might be able to help, don’t be afraid to call out for help to others etc, and that there is safety in numbers.
All Around BC 