Day of Remembrance

Violence can happen anywhere, at home, at school and at work, and it can take many forms. When we think of violence, we often think of physical violence. Often the affect of verbal put downs and degrading gestures are underestimated. Insults and condescending behaviour can threaten our emotional, spiritual, and psychological well-being. Many people endure emotional, psychological, economic, social, physical and sexual violence in silence. Women, Aboriginal peoples, visible minorities and homosexuals confront systemic forms of violence almost everyday of their lives. This is the harsh reality of the violence that permeates our society.

Speaking about violence can help us to identify feelings of loss and anger, and to heal from them. This day serves as a reminder that messages of peace and harmony can encourage us to work together to eliminate violence in our society. In each community there are examples of people who have overcome violence. Remembering our triumphs over violence will remind us that it is possible to heal from violence.

Suggested Activities

Acknowledge and Rebuild - Connect with a bereavement group, therapist, or family service agency to share their knowledge, or sponsor a speaker to talk about the hurt and loss caused by violence. Hearing from others about their experiences of violence and loss reminds us that we are not alone. Support and help is available in many forms, through many different channels.
Contemplate and Meditate - Arrange a gathering to focus on meditation or meditative arts like Tai Chi or Yoga.
Memorial or Remembrance Service - Involve Faith groups and other concerned community organizations in planning a ceremony or gathering to address the suffering caused from violence, and the ways to triumph over it. Send materials to faith organizations and women's organizations with a message that can be easily shared among members, "Letter from Peterborough" for example.
Explore Your Sensitivity - Make candles, a chain of origami cranes or any other of symbol associated with peace and harmony to explore feelings and values connected with alternatives to violence.

Testimonial Stories of Hope

YWCA of Regina

"I went to the YWCA. They helped me get on my feet, and my children entered the Children Who Witness Violence program. The staff there taught my kids that violence was wrong in a way that I was incapable of. Since then, I have gone back to school and earned my own Social Work Degree. My two children live with me now. Now I realize he never even wanted them. He just used them as another way of controlling me."

Facts

The measurable health-related costs of violence against women in Canada exceed .5 billion a year [1]
90,000 women and children used shelter services in Canada including 2 by a same-sex spouse. A further 17 women were killed by a current or ex-boyfriend.[2]

Resources

The Status of Women Canada provides many relevant publications on their website. They also have an information kit and organizing ideas for the National Day of Action on Violence Against Women on December 6th here. Reach their national office at (613) 995-7835.
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace work locally, nationally and internationally on issues related to peach, social justice, human rights and development. Contact them at vow@interlog.com or phone the National office: (416) 603-7915.
Canadian Center for Teaching Peace has resource and event listings that deal with anti-violence education. Find them at www.peace.ca or call (403) 938-5335 or 1-800-574-7126 (toll-free).

1 Statistics Canada (1998), Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile. www.hc-sc.gc.ca

2 Statistics Canada (2000). Homicide Statistics: 1999. The Daily. Wednesday, October 18, 2000.

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