Healing journey
Local groups participate in Take Back the Night walk in New Glasgow
NEW GLASGOW, N.S. — About 40 people attended the Take Back the Night event on Oct. 15 in New Glasgow.
Baillie MacDonald, of the Pictou County Women’s Resource and Sexual Centre and navigator with MORPH Pictou County (Mapping Our Road to Power & Healing), said the New Glasgow walk, which was held at Laurie Park, is one of many Take Back the Night marches held throughout North America.
“The event is to show survivors that we’re here to support them and to raise awareness in the community,” she said. “We’re here to help them continue with their healing journeys.”
Some of them would later pick up signs and walk through the streets on New Glasgow’s east side, trying to spread their message.
Among those who spoke during the hour-long event were cast members and the director of the play “Slut,” which the women’s resource centre is producing and will be staging later this fall at Glasgow Square.
Donna Smith, the executive director of Tearmann House Society, said more than 140 women and 50 children walked through the doors of Tearmann House last year in order to access her organization’s services.
“(It) seems to be the average, so it’s a well-needed service in our community, unfortunately,” said Smith, whose organization marked its 35th year on the very evening Take Back the Night was held. “But the work is amazing, and the women and children who access our services are also amazing. We don’t want to make that OK. We want to make change.”
She cited statistics stating that a woman is killed in Canada “every two and a half days ... so today is important, and this walk is important.”
“We’re here to help them continue with their healing journeys.” Baillie MacDonald