Last year in Ontario, on average, every six days a woman or child lost their lives as a result of gender-based violence.
Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre in Cobourg is sharing this statistic to raise awareness about the prevalence in society of femicide and gender-based violence.
The Northumberland County agency is again participating in “Wrapped in Courage,” an annual province-wide campaign first organized by the Ontario Association of Interval & Transition Houses in 2013.
November is “Woman Abuse Prevention Month” and Cornerstone is among the gender-based violence agencies across Ontario calling on community members to join the movement to shed light on the high rates of femicide and other forms of gender-based violence.
Uuder the theme of “Threads of Action to End Gender-Based Violence,” the Wrapped in Courage campaign encourages community members to wear a purple scarf to show their support for survivors of gender-based violence within their community and beyond.
“The Wrapped in Courage campaign raises awareness about gender-based violence and shows support as a community to survivors of gender-based violence,” Cayne Fordham, Cornerstone’s manager of fundraising and communications, told kawarthaNOW.
“We hope to continue our work together to end gender-based violence in our community. Wearing a purple scarf is a way to show support to survivors and create awareness. We each hold the threads to weave us towards awareness and safety for survivors.”
VIDEO: The Wrapped in Courage Purple Scarf
November 25 is the “International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women” and the first day of the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.”
The Wrapped in Courage purple scarves and flags represent symbols of the courage needed by communities in supporting survivors of violence and ending the epidemic of intimate partner violence, gender-based violence and femicide across Ontario, Cornerstone stated in a media release.
“They signal a commitment to ending violence in our community and let survivors know they are not alone.”
The agency is concerned about the high rates of femicide and other forms of gender-based violence across Ontario, noting there were more than 52 femicides reported by the Ontario Association of Interval & Transition Houses since November 2023.
“These femicides are preventable tragedies which devastate communities and families.”
Cornerstone is one of the 21 gender-based violence agencies across Ontario, and two in the Kawarthas region, selling Wrapped in Courage purple scarves, which are Fair Trade and handcrafted by marginalized artisans.
Northumberland County residents can order a Wrapped in Courage scarf by emailing cfordham@cornerstonenorthumberland.ca. In the Peterborough area, the scarves are available from YWCA Peterborough Haliburton by calling 705-743-3526 or emailing info@ywcapeterborough.org.
For more information about the Wrapped in Courage campaign, visit wrappedincourage.ca.
