Women's House urges everyone to participate in Wrapped in Courage campaign

Women’s House Serving Bruce and Grey, in partnership with the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses (OAITH), is urging all Ontarians to purchase a purple scarf or tie from their local women’s shelter in support of the fifth annual Wrapped in Courage Campaign.

Shelters and community organizations across the province are engaging their communities to address the overlooked issue of woman abuse in Ontario. Throughout November, Woman Abuse Prevention Month, everyone in Ontario is invited to wear a purple scarf to let women and their children know they are not alone. The courage of a woman, alone, is not enough. It takes the commitment and support of an entire community to end violence against all women.

When you consider the numbers, Canadian women and girls are no strangers to gender-based violence. In the 2009 Statistics Canada general social survey, 473,900 women over the age of 15 reported experiencing sexual violence. In reality, this number is likely even higher, given that it doesn’t take into account girls under the age of 15 (who have the highest rates of violence), women in the north, and women abused by current or former partners, as well as those who chose not to report for fear of victim-blaming or other reasons.

Numbers compiled from Statistics Canada regarding criminal victimization, show only 22 per cent of domestic violence cases and 10 per cent of sexual assaults are reported to police. The number 473,900 doesn’t even include other forms of violence that women experience, such as physical, emotional/verbal, financial, or spiritual abuse, harassment and stalking.

It is not difficult to see why - in a 2012 Angus Reid survey, approximately two-thirds of Canadian women know someone who has experienced violence.

OAITH shelters across the province take part in the Wrapped In Courage campaign each November in an effort to raise awareness and funds to end violence against women. By purchasing a purple scarf or purple tie from local women’s shelters, you can lend your support to end violence against women.

Women’s House is challenging local businesses, organizations, and individuals to help raise awareness by decorating their businesses and homes in purple, as well as wearing purple. Share your pictures on social media using the hashtag #wrappedincourage to help spread awareness and end violence against women.

Quick Facts:

Services provided to women and children in Ontario in 2015/2016

• Approximately 10,900 women and 6,700 children were served through violence against women shelters
• 51,700 crisis calls were received on crisis lines for women
• 40,500 women and 3,900 children received counselling

Lethality and risk to women and their children

• From November, 2015, to November, 2016, there were 29 women reported, by the media in Ontario, who were murdered by either their current or previous intimate partner

• 74 per cent of all domestic violence homicide cases reviewed from 2003-2015 involved a couple where there was a history of domestic violence, while 68 per cent of cases reviewed from 2003-2015 involved an actual or pending separation

Financial investments are needed for women and children fleeing violence

• On a snapshot day in Canada, 44 per cent of women's shelters were full due to overcapacity and lack of resources to respond to requests

Women's shelters in Ontario need your support:

For nearly 40 years, the OAITH has been supporting women's shelters across the province to provide safe housing, counselling, legal and outreach support services to assist women to live their lives free from violence. Your support of women’s shelter services is essential in making that happen.

Join the Campaign! To learn more about the Wrapped in Courage campaign and how you can support women and children in your community, visit: Wrappedincourage.ca and follow the campaign through Twitter and Facebook: www.twitter.com/@wrappdincourage #wrappedincourage www.facebook.com/wrappedincourage/

Local Events: Wrapping Grey-Bruce in Courage for Woman Abuse Prevention Month:

Saturday, Nov. 18 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Kincardine Liquor Store (LCBO) - Information table with purple scarves and ties available for purchase

Saturday, Nov. 25 – 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Women to Women Holiday Shopping Experience – Kincardine Davidson Centre (New Seniors Room, downstairs near the park side entrance), Admission FREE. Lots of vendor tables with amazing items for sale, from many of your favourite Direct Sales vendors – contact Karen McDonald (226-930-0883) or Catherine Richard (519-441-8444) for more details, or to arrange for a table. All Day Coffee and Holiday Treats at the Purple Scarf Café; 11 a.m. Fashion Show – Holiday Fashion Tips; Noon to 1 p.m., Try Samples from our Foodie Vendors; Women’s House information table with purple scarves and ties available for purchase. Speakers, addressing subjects of particular interest to women.

Saturday, Dec. 16 – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Kincardine Massage Therapy at 859 Queen Street Kincardine (519-396-7799): Supporting Women’s House through Hosting an Open House, with refreshments. They invite people to come in to donate cash, gift cards and women's and girl's new pajamas, size small and medium. Will be holding “A-Buck-A-Minute” Massages with proceeds to the Women’s House. Women’s House information table with purple scarves and ties available for purchase. In addition, they are booking clients and will donate their total daily earnings for Nov. 22 and Dec. 20.