We must continue to raise awareness and stand up against all forms of violence.
By Anna Marie Parayno, Project Developer & Women’s Support Worker
As part of our outreach for the Stopping the Violence Counselling and Multicultural Victim Services Program, we’d like to bring your attention to Dec 6th—the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
In 1989, 14 women were killed at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal by a shooter who claimed that feminists had ruined his life. These women were staff and students, many of whom were about to graduate, others just starting their degrees, ranging in age from 20 to 31 years old. They were killed simply because they were women.
Today MOSAIC invites you to take a moment of silence to honour and remember these women, and all women and girls who have been injured or killed in acts of violence. We must continue to raise awareness and stand up against all forms of violence.
If you are working with someone who is impacted by gender-based violence or trauma, support is available. The Stopping the Violence Counselling program offers free, confidential counselling support and outreach services for all self-identifying women who have experienced, or are at risk of, abuse, threats, or violence in intimate relationships, sexual assault or childhood abuse. The Multicultural Victim Services Program offers free, confidential emotional support and practical assistance in dealing with the criminal justice system for multicultural victims of all types of crimes.
MOSAIC also offers the I Belong Program which specifically caters to LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning) newcomers. Services are provided to transwomen and queer women from around the world who have gone through trauma, discrimination and violence in their home countries or in Canada. The I Belong program offers free and confidential peer support group and group counselling sessions once a month. For further information contact Masashi (ext 1024).
For more information and support, feel free to call us at 604-254-9626.
