Communities across the Kootenays have gathered today, May 16, to speak out against gender-based violence with the Moose Hide Campaign.
Community member and schools joined forces and took to the streets, to take a stand against violence towards Indigenous women and children.
“We’ll have conversations about how we can together make our community safer through practical actions like emotional regulation, promoting healthy masculinity, shining a light on the truth of gender-based violence.” said Jen Howton, Senior Strategy Manager, Reconciliation at TELUS.
“I do think that it is stuck in the shadows, we don’t talk about it a lot, it is a hard topic to bring out but once you do you can then replace it with light, and you can try to encourage others to do the same and to break those cycles.”
In Nelson, more than 100 people gathered at City Hall before walking downtown, beating drums and chanting songs for those missing and gone.
The local event was organized as part of TELUS’ Days of Giving, an annual global volunteer movement.
While Cranbrook held their very first Moose Hide Campaign in Rotary Park.
And there is still plenty of change to come.
“I think that is an epidemic of gender -based violence in communities,” said Lesley Garlow, Organiser.
“it’s important to understand that about 50% of all women in Canada have experienced some sort of gendered violence in their life and that for indigenous women, that number is three times higher.”
“We need to acknowledge that there’s 1,200 missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada right now. We’re also talking about two-spirited relatives, as well and non -gendered binary community members.”
These events are part of the larger nation-wide Moose Hide Campaign, which aims to raise awareness of gender-based violence and undo the effects of trauma.
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