The Prince Edward Island Advisory Council on the Status of Women is coordinating the 8th annual PEI 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.
Once again, the council has expanded the campaign through the support of the Premier's Action Committee on Family Violence Prevention, distributing 7,500 purple ribbons to Islanders, including 3,000 to Island civil servants.
"The position of the Premier's Action Committee is zero tolerance 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 too many. The committee unanimously agreed that it is important that we support the work of the Council in their effort to raise awareness and together help prevent violence in our families and communities."
Islanders are urged to wear a purple ribbon during the week of December 6th to help raise awareness of violence against women and children, in Prince Edward Island and across the country.
"Communities must become involved in efforts to stop violence. The purple ribbon campaign is one way in which we can visibly demonstrate that we will not tolerate violence," says Premier Pat Binns.
The Council asks that Islanders not only wear the purple ribbon but also, donations can be made to local organizations working to end violence.
"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 1996 and March 1997, 995 women and children used support services through Transition House Association (THA) - 263 accessed THA support services in East Prince; 338 in West Prince; 65 in Eastern PEI; 289 at Anderson House in Charlottetown; and 40 at Queen's County Outreach.
"The Council sees that there is still much work to be done to end violence against women and children," says O'Brien. "The campaign theme is: First mourn, then work for change."
Purple ribbons are available at the PEI Advisory Council office, Women's Network PEI, the UPEI Women's Centre, L'Association des Acadiennes in Wellington, East Prince Women's Information Centre in Summerside and at local Regional Services Centres.
Montreal Massacre Memorial Services will be held on Friday, December 5 at the UPEI Chaplaincy Centre at 12 noon and on Saturday, December 6 at the Trinity United Church Hall on Spring Street in Summerside at 4 p.m.
The Purple Ribbon Campaign first began to commemorate the 14 women who were murdered at L'Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal on December 6, 1989. They were murdered because they were women.
For more information, contact Heidi Rankin, Communications/Research Coordinator, PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women, (902) 368-4510.