Regional News
December 04, 2008 By: Kim Zarzour www.yorkregion.com

Mayor Barrow to attend violence against women ceremony

Open any major newspaper, any day of the week, and you’ll likely find at least one story of a woman who has been killed or injured.

It’s so mind-numbingly consistent that it’s easy to ignore. But tomorrow evening, at least, Sandgate Women’s Shelter wants to place the problem front and centre.

The shelter will use voices and candles to bring attention to the continuing problem of violence against women. The ceremony, to be held at the Regional Municipality of York’s offices in Newmarket, is being held to mark Prevention of Violence Against Women Month and the 19th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.

On Dec. 6, 1989, 14 female students were killed and 13 others were wounded by a lone gunman who stormed an engineering class at Montreal’s l’Ecole Polytechnic.

Memorials like the one to be held in Newmarket tomorrow are held every year in cities across the country to mark the anniversary of the killings.

And yet, the violence continues.

“Not much has changed,” says Jehan Chaudhry, Sandgate’s executive director.

“Forty women are murdered in Ontario every year. Statistics show that 51 per cent of women around the world will experience domestic violence or sexual abuse in their lifetime. It is staggering how many women are raped during wartime.”

Chaudhry will present ‘Soraya’s Story – A Documentary on violence against women,’ and several women survivors of abuse will talk about their experiences.

Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow will be in attendance to show the municipality’s support and to welcome Sandgate to southern York Region. Sandgate will open its second crisis shelter in Richmond Hill by April, 2009.

It will be the first such shelter to serve the fast-growing area of southern York Region.

There are two other crisis shelters in York Region - Sandgate’s first house in Georgina, and the Yellow Brick House in Aurora.

“The issue of violence toward women is one that York Region society must not tolerate,” Mayor Barrow stressed, “and the support services available must reflect the need for both women and families. It is our duty to protect the vulnerable.”

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