Today is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, which marks the anniversary of the murder of 14 young women at École Polytechnique de Montréal on December 6, 1989.
It’s a day to remember all women who have needlessly experienced violence simply because of their gender, particularly those who have lost their lives at the hands of such violence. It’s also a day of action, a day that we must make a commitment to change so that we can individually and collectively end violence against women.
As a police agency, we respond to calls involving violence against women on a daily basis, which can be brutal and horrific. But equally troubling is the violence against women that is less overt; violence that is perpetuated through the disempowerment, control, objectification or disrespect of women. This is where we must take a stand and make a call for action. If we can start small and speak up against the less overt violence, then perhaps we can prevent the extremely violent acts from occurring. Ultimately, this means all of us – both men and women – doing the right thing for the right reasons for all of society.
To mark the 27th anniversary of the Montreal massacre, HRP members will attend
· the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women Recognition Ceremony;
· the Not So Silent Vigil outside the Halifax Central Library; and
· the Sexton Campus at Dalhousie University where, at 7 p.m., Dr. Verona Singer, HRP Victim Services Unit, will speak to engineering students on the impact of gendered violence.
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Source: Media Release