GUELPH – In commemoration of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis (WIC) will be hosting a community femicide vigil on Dec. 6 at 6:30pm at Marianne’s Park.
Each year, Dec. 6 serves as an opportunity to reflect, remember and honour the 14 lives lost in the L’École Polytechnique Massacre and the countless women and girls whose lives continue to be taken by gender-based violence.
According to the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability, it is estimated that on average one woman or girl is killed every 2.5 days in Canada with Indigenous women, women living in rural areas and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community being overrepresented among victims.
“Throughout the pandemic, those living with violence have faced increased barriers in accessing support services and safe spaces,” said Jensen Williams, Public Educator at Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis.
“For all those who felt isolated, the horrible reality is that many have not survived. This should not be a reality that we come to accept.
“Dec. 6 is an opportunity to remember those women, honour their stories and unite in seeking justice and seeing change.”
This will be the first in-person event the organization is hosting in nearly two years and organizers are excited to bring community together to join in collective healing and community-based solutions to ending violence.
The event will also be live streamed on WIC’s Facebook page for those who can’t attend in person.
For more information about the Dec. 6 vigil visit gwwomenincrisis.org.
