Even though the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is Over, violence against women and girls is not!
According to The Canadian Women’s Foundation, approximately every six days, a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner. Rates of gender-based violence were high in Canada before the pandemic but now thousands of women, girls, and trans and non-binary people face a heightened risk of violence at home with COVID-19 isolation measures.
For the past several years, the Parish of French Village has held an outdoor vigil during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence (Nov 25 – Dec 6). The family of Paula Gallant, a well-known mother and elementary school teacher in Timberlea, has participated in this event to help raise awareness and to honour all the women in Nova Scotia who have lost their lives to Domestic Violence. Paula was killed by her husband although there was no known history of violence or abuse in her relationship but sadly and tragically, she is part of a growing statistic.
Due to COVID-19 and the physical gathering restrictions, the outdoor vigil and bench dedication, which was planned for December 5th, Paula’s birthday, did not take place this past year.
In their efforts to continue to raise awareness, Paula’s family worked with the St. Margaret’s Bay Rails to Trails Association and Silent Witness Nova Scotia on the placement and dedication of a vivid purple bench on the trail in Paula’s memory. Purple is a symbol of courage, survival and honour, and has come to symbolize the fight to end violence against women. This bench is part of the Silent Witness Nova Scotia, Barb’s Bench Project. Communities are now able to place purple benches featuring a plaque showing emergency numbers to contact for people experience domestic violence and the commemoration of Barbara Baillie and other domestic homicide victims. For more information please go to: http://silentwitnessnovascotia.ca/about-barbs-bench/
There were still many events that took place virtually during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence. On December 5th, 2020, the worldwide Mothers’ Union promoted a Global Day of Action with an online protest and awareness campaign entitled No More 1 in 3. Mothers’ Union as a leading women’s organisation believe this to be unacceptable. For more information please visit https://www.mothersunion.org/
We encourage everyone to go visit Paula’s bench on Mill Lake which is past the Bike and Bean towards Head of St. Margaret’s Bay. We would like to thank the Parish of French Village, the St. Margaret’s Bay Rails to Trails, Silent Witness Nova Scotia, our community and family and friends who continue to keep Paula’s story and her voice active in our fight to end violence against women.
