The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, known informally as White Ribbon Day, was created in honour of the fourteen women who were killed in the Ecole Polytechnique massacre in 1989.
“We remember to honour those we have lost and to reflect on the state of violence against women today” said Revelstoke Women’s Shelter Society executive director Lynn Loeppky.
According to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, 67 percent of Canadians know at least one woman who has experienced physical or sexual abuse.
On December 6, we think about not only those who have lost their lives to gender-based violence but also those who are currently living with abuse. Women and children of minority groups in Canada and of colour throughout the world are most vulnerable. In British Columbia for example, the Government of B.C. states that Indigenous women and children are 2.7 times more likely to experience violence than their non-indigenous counterparts. Similarly, according to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, women living with disabilities are three times more likely to experience violent victimization than women living without disabilities.
We know that the Covid-19 pandemic has negatively impacted these groups and society in general as social isolation measures have been enforced. “Gender based violence was dubbed the shadow pandemic of Covid-19 by the United Nations”, states the BC Women’s Foundation. UN Women has documented a global increase in the use of violence against women helplines.
As stress can be a predicator to abuse, it is not surprising that violence against women has increased across the globe during these uncertain times. The Revelstoke Women’s Shelter recommends the following ways for supporting someone who has experienced abuse: 1) Believe them; 2) Listen non-judgementally; 3) Respond by focusing on how they are feeling, reminding them it is not their fault; 4) Offer support by asking the victim what they need, ensuring that they direct their healing process.
For information on our services or to get involved with the Revelstoke Women’s Shelter, call the shelter office at 250-837-4382 or visit at RevelstokeWomensShelter.com
If you need help immediately, call the 24/7 crisis line at 250-837-1111.
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