Attend a Vigil so as Not to Forget

Every six days in Canada a woman is killed by a current or past intimate partner.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign and one of the largest organizing strategies in the prevention and elimination of gender-based violence around the world. It begins on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and ends on December 10, Human Rights Day.

CFUW clubs across the country plan events, marches, and vigils to commemorate the 16 Days and National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on December 6.

We invite you to join CFUW Perth & District, standing alongside Lanark County Interval House, at a candlelight vigil as we remember and honour those taken in the December 6, 1989 École Polytechnique Massacre and all of the women in Lanark County who have been taken too soon by violence. This is a call to action to end violence against women everywhere.

Wednesday, December 6th at 6 p.m. in the park next to Crystal Palace, Perth.

Lanark County was the first county in Ontario to declare Inter-Partner Violence an epidemic. The Town of Perth was close behind. But to date, the Province of Ontario has refused to do so, and of 444 municipalities, the majority have not.

Almost one in three women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence at least once in their life. Read more

If more Ontario municipalities 􀆟declared IPV an epidemic, would it not stand to reason that the provincial government would, by political necessity, have to declare IPV an epidemic? And would that not lead to a provincial strategy to tackle IPV? Would it not lead to increased funding and resources for front-line groups to support victims? Would it not allow for the development of more educational programs in schools to mi􀆟gate genera􀆟tional IPV and unacceptable standards of masculinity? Would it not allow for the provision of resources for early interventions to reduce IPV?

CFUW National has drafted a template letter for members to send to municipalities urging them to adopt IPV as an epidemic. While the Town of Perth has done so, our neighbouring municipalities have not.