Heather Latter
An annual candlelight vigil and service, once again being held to honour the women of Rainy River District who lost their lives due to violence, is set for tomorrow (Dec. 6) at 6 p.m. at Knox United Church here.
Called the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada, Dec. 6 marks the anniversary of the murders in 1989 of 14 young women at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal, who died simply because they were women.
Not only are the lives of those women commemorated, as well as those locally, but the event brings to light the ongoing issue of gender violence.
“The reason we continue to do it is that gender-based violence continues to be a huge issue,” stressed Peggy Loyie of the Rainy River District Victim Services Program, which is organizing the event along with the local United Native Friendship Centre.
Loyie noted the local community began participating in the Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women 13 years ago and said the violence is continuing.
“As a matter of fact, through Victim Services, we know first-hand the number of calls we get to assist victims of domestic violence, male and female,” she remarked.
“We want people to know that this issue isn’t going away.
“We need to keep raising awareness because we need people to become more aware of the effects of violence—the effects it has on our communities, our families, our children,” she said.
Loyie hopes the event also highlights all the agencies in the area where people can find resources.
“There’s a number of resources in the community available to help or to get more information from, such as the Rainy River District Shelter of Hope,” she noted.
“We don’t have a shelter here in Fort Frances but they still provide services to our area.”
For instance, Loyie said they’ve started a program for children who have witnessed domestic violence.
“The whole objective of the 12-week program is that kids understand they are not responsible for the violence,” she explained, adding it gives them different tools to keep themselves safe.
“It more or less empowers children in the wake of violence,” she said, adding the moms gain an understanding of the effects violence has on their children.
“[Violence] is such a huge issue that we need to have these programs so, hopefully, moms or caregivers are making informed decisions when they are in relationships where there is violence,” Loyie reasoned.
And she stressed violence isn’t just something that happens somewhere else—it happens right here in the local community.
The local Day of Remembrance service includes a PowerPoint presentation dedicated to women in Rainy River District who have lost their lives because of violence.
“There are at least 12 women on the PowerPoint,” noted Loyie. “That number is phenomenal for a district this size.
“And each year we hear of more,” she lamented. “It’s just really disturbing that that many women would die of violence.”
Tomorrow’s event includes information about why the Day of Remembrance is significant and what the local community has experienced.
“We talk about some of the things service providers are doing in regards to domestic violence, such as the United Native Friendship Centre and the Friends Against Abuse from International Falls,” Loyie noted.
In addition, some local high school students will share their talents, performing music that is about the issue of violence.
“It speaks a message,” Loyie remarked, adding a group of women who have formed their own hand-drum group also will share honour songs, honouring the women who have died and their families.
“They have learned to live around what’s happened, but continue to mourn and grieve the loss of their loved one to violence,” Loyie explained.
Following the service, a light meal will be offered by the United Church’s Right Relations Committee.
“We have a lot of families who attend that their child, sister, [or] niece has been murdered,” Loyie said.
“With the help of the Right Relations, they provide a really awesome environment for almost like a debriefing following the service.”
Loyie stressed they appreciate the help of the Right Relations Committee and Knox United Church.
“Everyone is welcome to attend to remember those who have died from violence,” she added.
