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Arrest in assault case ‘a win’: Prince Albert YWCA

Jun 30, 2014 | 6:45 AM

Editor's Note: paNOW has removed the name of the victim as it is now under a publication ban.

By James Bowler

paNOW Staff

For the executive director of Prince Albert’s YWCA, the arrest of a suspect for a violent assault is a win for the community and for the issue of missing and murdered aboriginal women.

“It’s a win, it’s a start,” said Donna Brooks, executive director of the Prince Albert YWCA. “They’ve got a suspect, they’ve got him in custody and he’s been charged so that’s a start.”

Brooks said this shows that violence against any woman has consequences.

“It speaks to the point that this is not acceptable, and when something of this magnitude happens in our community, we stand up against it,” said Brooks. “One thing that really amazed me throughout this was how the entire community came together.”

“The police from all different agencies, different people, family member from all walks of life, they really came together for this. For Marlene, but also to say that we will not have this happen in our community, or our province or our country.”

Brooks has been working hard to raise donations for the victim and her family to assist with expenses after she is released.

Brooks said that the support was not just within the local community or just across the province, but it went even further.

“We actually had support from right across the province and right across the country.”

On Sunday, the Prince Albert Police Service announced they arrested a 29-year-old suspect following a search of his home on Saturday.

He has been charged with aggravated sexual assault and attempted murder.

He will appear in Prince Albert Provincial Court on Wednesday morning.

jbowler@panow.com

On Twitter: @journalistjim