Community Outreach 2017
A unique feature associated with living and working in the same community is the opportunities the lifestyle presents to participate in important and meaningful community initiatives. Getting to know like minded people; friends, neighbours, business owners is particularly important for anyone, but especially a “newcomer” to the area.
Last fall I was invited to join the steering committee for a fundraising initiative by and for Leeds and Grenville Interval House, a sanctuary and refuge for abused women and children.
WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES ® is an international program designed for shelters to raise awareness, educate and support communities through a highly visible march in the streets of participating towns and cities by MEN who love and respect the women in their lives and believe violence against women is unacceptable in their civil society.
Men who walk in support demonstrate loudly and openly their commitment to be role models for youth and express solidarity with the belief that abuse – physical, sexual, financial and psychological is intolerable and must be stopped.
It takes strength and courage (and good balance) to put on a pair of RED high heeled shoes and walk in a march through the streets of your town declaring your support and understanding.
Bravo and Kudos to all men who dare!
The statistics are astounding:
- One in three women will experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime
- 50% of women in Canada have experienced at least ONE incident of physical or sexual violence since the age of 16
- 70% of spousal violence is NOT reported to police – Stats Canada
- A woman is assaulted an AVERAGE of 35 !!! times before she calls the police the first time
- It takes 7 attempts before a woman leaves for good
- Her chances of being murdered INCREASES 9X once she leaves
- Every 6 DAYS a Canadian woman is murdered by her current or former partner
These numbers increase significantly for women experiencing multiple oppressions including identifying as being:
- A woman of color
- An immigrant
- Aboriginal
- Living with disabilities
In 2013, the rate of intimate partner homicide was 4.5 times HIGHER for female victims
Ministry of Community and Social Services (ONTARIO) reported in 2014/15
- 43,580 WOMEN and 4460 Children accessed Violence Against Women (VAM) counselling and shelter services across the province
LEEDS AND GRENVILLE INTERVAL HOUSE ‘s catchment area includes 13 municipalities, a population in excess of 135,000 and a geographic span of 3423 square KMs
Over the past year, the shelter operated at 130% of capacity on average! The typical length of stay for a family is 17 weeks.
Obviously and tragically, the NEED is great, both to fund existing services including outreach, counselling and shelter and to raise awareness of the needs in the community and support initiatives to educate Canadians to STOP the violence and prevent abuse.
Saturday, May 27th is the FIRST ever WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES event for Brockville Ontario, a city of 22,000 citizens who want to care! The motto for Brockville is TAKE A STEP FORWARD
Funds are raised through sponsorships, pledges for walkers and generous donations from people and businesses that want to lead by example.
All we hope for now is warm sunny weather and Epsom salt footbaths!
This is my story of giving back to a community that has supported me with friendship and business since I arrived 3 years ago knowing fewer people than I could count on one hand!
A good life is about joining in…. find a place for yourself and TAKE A STEP FORWARD
