Barb’s Bench pays tribute to domestic violence victims
Barbara Baillie’s children wanted to do something to honour her, while also helping other women in crisis. And a local group wants to do the same.
The Spryfield woman was 42 years old when she was strangled by her husband in 1990. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and served 18 years in prison before being released on parole.
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of her death, Baillie’s five children created a bench to place in her favourite park at Long Lake in her home community. The purple bench was unveiled in her memory last fall.
Barb’s Bench has since become a commemorative program that pays tribute to women in Nova Scotia who have lost their lives as a result of domestic violence. The project is a partnership between Silent Witness Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
The Pictou County chapter of Silent Witness made a presentation about the project to New Glasgow council on Monday night, requesting permission to install one of the benches near the gazebo on the town’s riverfront.
Silent Witness works to give a voice to women who have lost their lives as a result of domestic violence by creating lifesized, red silhouettes of them. Locally, four women have been murdered by their intimate partner since 1991.
Donna MacGregor, co-chairperson of the Pictou County organization, said it’s important to have a visible reminder in the community. “We want our bench to be about remembering the women who have lost their lives, about the women who were or are, in domestic violent situations, those missing and those whose murders are unsolved,” she said.
“Nestled by the gazebo, the bench will be a reminder of those women who are no longer with us, as well as the work left to be done. The bench will offer a place to rest, a place of hope and a place of help.”
Each bench displays contact information for women suffering abuse. “This was very important to Barbara Baillie’s children. If the bench is able to save even one woman, all of their work was worth it.”
MacGregor said much work still needs to be done to end domestic violence in Nova Scotia and Canada. “We all play an important role. Please help as we work until not one more woman is silenced by violence.”
CAO Lisa MacDonald said the town’s engineer will work with Silent Witness to determine a suitable location for the bench, which will be sent to council for approval.