The Kamloops Annual Shoe and Red Dress Memorial will be moving online this year because of restrictions on gatherings due to COVID-19.
The event, held on Dec. 6, was started by Kamloops woman, Lynn Chassé in memory of their Mother, Dorothee McLaughlin, who was murdered by her boyfriend on May 13, 2000. The Red Dress Memorial was added in 2019 to honour and remember the missing and murdered Indigenous women across Canada.
Now organized by the Kamloops and District Labour Council, President Lois Rugg says its important for people to take part in the National Day of Remembrance and Action against Violence on Dec. 6 – the anniversary of the murder of 14 women at Montreal’s École Polytechnique in 1989.
“The Shoe and Red Dress Memorial reminds us that we need to take action in our communities by supporting initiatives to end violence against women and girls and be active to make our workplaces, homes, and streets safe for everyone,” Rugg said. “We all have a role to play in making our communities safe for women, girls and non-binary gender identified persons.”
While there won’t be an in-person gathering this year, Rugg is encouraging people to donate to two local women’s organizations – the Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Centre and the Y Women’s Emergency Shelter.
“Canadian Labour Congress researchers says half of women in Canada will experience violence in their lifetime, be it physical or sexual abuse, emotional or verbal abuse, financial manipulation or control, spiritual abuse, criminal harassment or stalking,” she added, noting a woman is killed by her partner every six days on average.
“Each night, almost 4,000 women – many with children – turn to shelters because they aren’t safe at home.”
Rugg says research by Canada’s unions found that almost 40 per cent of working women have experienced domestic violence, which in most cases putting their jobs and their co-workers at risk.
Further, COVID-19 lockdowns and stay-at-home orders have made it more difficult for women to access services, she says.
This year’s End Violence Against Women Virtual Memorial will be held via Zoom this Sunday at 5 p.m. It is open to all, and you can RSVP here.
