The Prince Edward Island Advisory Council on the Status of Women is coordinating the fifth annual Purple Ribbon Campaign Against Violence. The campaign commemorates the 14 women who died in the Montreal Massacre on December 6, 1989, and raises awareness about violence against women and children on PEI.
The council expanded this year's campaign due to financial support from the Premier's Action Committee on Family Violence Prevention, distributing 5,000 purple ribbons to Islanders, including 3,000 to Island civil servants.
"The position of the Premier's Action Committee is zero tolerance on the subject of violence in any form," says Marion Reid, Chairperson of the Premier's Action Committee on Family Violence Prevention. "One act of violence against another person is one to many. The committee unanimously agreed that it is very important that we support the work of the council in their effort to raise awareness and help prevent violence in our communities."
Islanders are urged to wear a purple ribbon during the week of December 6 to help raise the level of awareness of the acts of violence, perpetrated against women and children, not only in PEI but throughout the world.
"Communities must become involved in the effort to reduce violence. This ribbon campaign is one way in which we can visibly demonstrate that we oppose violence and will not tolerate violence, " says Pat Binns, Premier of Prince Edward Island.
The council asks that Islanders not only wear the purple ribbons but also make a donation to an organization in their community that is working to end violence against women and children.
"The memory of the 14 women who died during the Montreal Massacre serves as a constant reminder of the horror of violence that so many women and children endure on a daily basis," says Sharon O'Brien, Chairperson of the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women. "Individuals have become so desensitized to violence against women that it's only when a massacre like the one in Montreal occurs that we as a society stop and take notice. We need to acknowledge the violence that is happening in our own communities everyday and take a stand against it."
In PEI, between April 1995 and March 1996, a total of 853 women and children used support services through Transition House Association - 238 accessed THA support services in East Prince; 321 in West Prince; 21 in eastern PEI; and 273 at Anderson House in Charlottetown.
"The council sees that there is still much work to be done to end violence against women and children." says O'Brien. "This year's campaign theme is: First mourn, then work for change."
The ribbons are available at the PEI Medical Society, Women's Network, the UPEI Women's Centre, L'Association des Acadiennes in Wellington and the East Prince Women's Information Centre.
The Canada-wide Purple Ribbon Campaign first began to commemorate the 14 women who were murdered at L'École Polytechnique in Montreal on December 6, 1989. They were murdered because they were women.
For more information contact: Lisa Murphy, Executive Director, PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women, (902) 368-4510.