In the Media

Motivational Speaker speaks Out About Abuse

Connie Lynne held a seminar in Selkirk Monday which mainly focused on the effects of abuse and abusive relationships

Motivational speaker Connie Lynne was in Selkirk June 4 to give a free seminar on ‘The Five Pillars of Freedom’.

The seminar was sponsored by an RCMP Foundation Grant, and together with Nova House the seminar was made available to the public – those working in shelters, former or current victims of abuse, as well as the general public.

‘The Five Pillars of Freedom’ was created by Lynne, as she herself is a survivor of an abusive relationship.

Lynne’s seminar is described as teaching the steps to gaining personal freedom and is not only for those dealing with abuse although that is what her message focuses on. She says her seminar is for anyone struggling with freedom whether they have an addiction, weight issues or self-esteem issues.

“I wish that everyone brings hope out of this seminar and to realize that they are not stuck and that we have choices and that we can own our own life,” said Lynne.

The seminar kicked off Monday with a speech from a local Selkirk RCMP member, Constable Paul Human. He talked about an officer’s role in an abusive situation, when the RCMP respond to a domestic violence call, and how victims of abuse often defend their abusers. He also spoke of his personal experiences working in northern Manitoba where he dealt with more domestic violence calls.

“Instead of dealing with the human side of it I was mostly dealing with the death side because I went to a lot of homicides. Eighty per cent of the homicides were domestic related,” explained Human.

Lynne explained that she would like to return to the Selkirk area to give further seminars about abuse as well as getting people to ‘own more of their lives’. “I do believe we all need to own more of our lives, it is not just the ones that are being physically battered and stuff like that,” explained Lynne

“I’m definitely hoping to come back. I am in the middle of applying for more funding because those stuck within the shadowed world of abuse don't generally see themselves as worth it.

They are worth it. I am bound and determined to share that with them.