Young violence against women activists gathered outside City Hall on Oct. 18 at 10:30 a.m.
Grade 11 student Kaydence Glanville organized the protest, proudly holding a sign that read “All women have a right to safety” and “Stop! Violence against women.”
“Violence is normalized,” said Glanville, explaining how it’s simply a “part of being a woman,” but that people need to speak up and put an end to it.
In 2021, over 127,000 victims reported family violence to the police (this includes spouses, parents, children, siblings and extended family members), according to Statistics Canada. Of those, two-thirds were women and girls, at 69 per cent.
For intimate partner violence (violence committed by former or current married spouses, common-law partners, dating or other intimate partners), 114,132 victims reported the incident to the police. Eight in 10 of these victims were women and girls (79 per cent).
However, it’s important to note that most family and intimate partner violence goes unreported, with only one in five victims making a report.
The Women’s Contact Society partnered with Glanville, showing their support. The society provides food, children’s clothing and toys donations, legal advocacy, family law advocacy and a women’s counselling program.
“Every voice is important. Kaydence’s courage to step forward, it’s not easy to step out,” said Irene Willsie, the society’s executive director. “We want to show support to youth taking initiative.” Willsie was joined by the society’s violence counsellor, Lindalee Anthony.
Glanville said she will advocate for women’s rights until equality is reached, a topic she’s been passionate about for the last several years. The protest is part of her capstone project, a 40-hour project that she’ll continue through campaigns, raising money, rallies and other events supporting the end of violence against women.
As cars drove by honking to show their support of the protest, Glanville’s grandmother, Joyce Mcconkey, said what her granddaughter was doing was awesome.
“Kaydence is not one to back down. She’s a very strong individual,” said Mcconkey.
Other students joined Glanville, Ava Johnson (Grade 10), Athena Stuart (Grade 12), Ariana Dyck (Grade 12) and Mikayla Bremner (Grade 12), who with signs high in the air, walked to the government building where other student activists joined the group.
The Women’s Contact Society can be reached at 250-392-4118 and offers resources on their website womenscontact.org.
The Canadian Mental Health Association can be reached at 1-888-353-2273.
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