People urged to go purple for Shine the Light on Woman Abuse Campaign
For the second year, Juniper House, SHYFT Youth Services, and the Tri County Women’s Centre are collaborating with the London Abused Women’s Centre to bring their campaign, SHINE THE LIGHT ON WOMAN ABUSE, to Digby, Yarmouth and Shelburne counties.
“The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of men’s violence against women by turning cities, regions and counties purple for the month of November”, explains Lisanne Turner, executive director of the Tri County Women’s Centre. “This campaign is a symbol of solidarity with abused women as we support them in understanding that any shame or blame they may feel does not belong to them but to the perpetrators of their abuse. “
“The London Abused Women’s Centre uses their annual campaign to remember and honour two women who have been impacted by woman abuse in Canada and encourage everyone to use purple lighting to express their support for stopping violence against women in our society”, explained Adam Dolliver, Executive Director of SHYFT Youth Services. This year Maddison Fraser and Shainee Chalk are being honoured, making the campaign especially connected to the tri counties, as Maddison was from the Yarmouth area. At the age of 19 the young woman was lured into the sex trade. She died two years later in a motor vehicle accident. Her mother Jennifer Holleman – in her daughter’s memory and to help others – has
been speaking out about the issue of human trafficking. She participated in the Shine the Light campaign launch in Ontario.
“This campaign will lead into Juniper House’s Annual Purple Ribbon Campaign, Nov. 25 to Dec. 10, with Wednesday, Dec. 6 being the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women and Girls,” says Lisa Newell-Bain, executive director of Juniper House. “The campaigns go well together as both campaigns aim to raise awareness, support women’s experiences as well as giving an opportunity to raise the profile of the community agencies that can provide assistance to women and girls experiencing violence or abuse.”
Purple is a symbol of courage, survival, and honour, and has come to symbolize the fight to end woman abuse. Last year a number of organizations and municipal units participated and again local businesses, schools, municipalities, recreation facilities, parks, the offices of elected officials, places of worship, and homes are invited to go purple.
People are invited to decorate with purple lights, streamers or any other purple material you want to use. Other ways to Shine the Light include wearing purple, talking with others about ending violence against women, using the hashtag #ShineTheLight on social media, invite a women’s advocate to your school, workplace, or social group to talk about woman abuse.
More on the campaign can be found at: https://www.lawc. on.ca/shine-light-woman-abusecampaign/