The Purple Ribbon Campaign is well underway in Williams Lake and across the country this week.
The campaign is organized by the Violence Prevention Initiative and local woman’s advocacy groups like Williams Lake’s own Women’s Contact Society. Its purpose is to raise awareness about ongoing violence against women, including domestic violence.
Women’s Safety Coordinator Evelyn Forster, who’s held the position for six months, is the chief organizer of the campaign this year. Running in Williams Lake from Dec. 1 to Dec. 10, the dates coincide with the National Day of Remembrance and Action Against Violence Against Women on Dec. 6.
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“Domestic violence or violence against women happens all the time and its important people stand up and speak out against it,” Forester said. “If people don’t do that it’s not going to stop. Hopefully, by speaking up and bringing awareness to it we can help eliminate it.”
Those looking to raise awareness and show support can pick up a purple ribbon pin or bracelets at businesses’ across town, Forester said. The bracelets, which have the message “Stop Violence Against Women” printed on them, have been very popular this year according to Forester.
The Violence is Preventable Committee will also be showing a movie Wednesday night at the Central Cariboo Arts Centre Forster said. Called Finding Dawn it’s a documentary telling stories about Indigenous women who’ve gone missing and been murdered along Highway 16 otherwise known as the Highway of Tears.
“You can always speak up and show your support, be more then a bystander, if you see something, say something,” Forester said. “It’s everybody’s issue.”
The primary purpose of the campaign remains education and raising awareness about these issues Forester said, as well as giving people a chance to visually show their support.
She is also looking at getting together a sexual assault response team in the near future, though it’s only in early conception stages at this time.
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patrick.davies@wltribune.com
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