Dec. 6, 1989 was the day an armed man walked into an engineering class at I’École Polytechnique de Montréal and killed 14 women and injured 10 more. This Friday, on The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, Islanders Working Against Violence (IWAV) and The Circle Education are hosting the annual Dec. 6 memorial in Centennial Park. The event is held not only to remember the victims in Montreal but all the other women who have been victims of gender-based violence since then.
It has been 35 years since the Montreal Massacre, but gender-based violence — harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender — is not diminishing. It’s happening in all corners of the world, and Canada and Salt Spring Island are no exception. This year so far, 165 women and girls, including trans women and girls, have been killed in our country because of their gender. (See femicideincanada.ca.)
At the Dec. 6 memorial, we reaffirm our commitment to ending all forms of violence and to create supportive, caring communities.
“Coming together and standing in memory is one small thing we can do as a community to show we care,” said Alicia Herbert, executive director of IWAV.
The vigil will be held on Friday at 5 p.m. at the gazebo in Centennial Park. As a practical and symbolic gesture, the participants of The Circle Education’s Pass It On Boys program will light the way for vigil attendees towards the gazebo, and also read the names of the 14 women who were killed in Montreal.
“We are very pleased to have the boys involved in this year’s vigil,” said Janine Fernandes-Hayden, executive director of The Circle Education. “It is a powerful statement that highlights the importance of involving young men in conversations about gender-based violence and the role they can play in fostering a more equitable society.”
Pass It On Boys is an after-school program focused on building healthy relationships. “It is a unique program for boys in which we give young adults the tools to communicate, regulate emotions and seek help if they are struggling,” said program facilitator Eland Bronstein. “We want them to be able to navigate challenges and problems in a constructive way.”
Gender-based violence and consent are among the topics covered in the weekly sessions. “It all comes down to building empathy and respect,” Bronstein continued. “We talk about privilege, power dynamics, allyship and how we can stand up when we see injustices. Being part of this memorial is a way of growing awareness. Together we can break the cycle.”
All community members are welcome and encouraged to participate as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.