The Prince Edward Island Advisory Council on the Status of Women will be launching their 12th Annual Purple Ribbon Campaign Against Violence, on Wednesday, November 5 during a Purple Ribbon Pinning Bee at the Coles Building on Richmond Street in Charlottetown. The Purple Ribbon Pinning Bee, which runs from 7 pm to 10 pm, is an opportunity for volunteers to pin ribbons to information cards for Island-wide distribution.
The Purple Ribbon Campaign is an Advisory Council initiative that commemorates the 14 women who died in the Montreal Massacre on December 6th, 1989 as well as raising awareness about violence against women and children on PEI.
The Advisory Council asks that Islanders wear the purple ribbons during the weeks leading up to December 6th, which is The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, to help raise the level of awareness of acts of violence, perpetrated against women and children, not only on PEI but throughout the world.
"Every year, hundreds of Island women and children are victims of violence" says Kirstin Lund, Chairperson of the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women. "The purple ribbon serves as a visible symbol of our pain and sorrow for these victims and our commitment to change."
In PEI between April 2002 and March 2003 statistics show that a total of 1,580 women and children used support services through the Transition House Association (THA). Of these, 285 accessed THA support in East Prince; 430 in West Prince; 341 in Eastern PEI; 189 at Anderson House in Charlottetown and 256 for Queen’s County Outreach. There were 8,199 calls for service.
"The PEI Advisory Council is expanding the campaign from 20,000 ribbons and cards distributed in 2002 to 30,000 in 2003 thanks to the support of the City of Charlottetown," states Lund. "And the Advisory Council gratefully acknowledges the continued support of the Premier’s Action Committee on Family Violence Prevention, the Provincial government and the thousands of volunteers who have contributed to the Purple Ribbon Campaign since its inception in 1992. We encourage everyone to wear a purple ribbon and do what they can to end the violence."
Contact: Heidi Rankin ~ 368-4510