Op-ed: Everyone do your part to end violence against women
- John Lagimodiere | March 16, 2015
Come on down, the press release said. The 601 Outreach Centre located at 601 33rd Street West was going to celebrate International Women's Day by providing much deserved pampering to the ladies in our community. I figured that would make for some great photos.
When I arrived at the door, there was a sign saying women only...feeling fearless with my camera, I barged in. Immediately several women yelled, “Women only today!” I meekly held up my camera and a copy of Eagle Feather News (we give them papers every month so that helped) and begged for a visit. They welcomed me with open arms....but for a short time only and limited photos!
The place was buzzing. People sat around a table covered in $500 worth of beautiful flowers donated by a florist out of Winnipeg. A couple women were getting their nails done and several were dressing up in funky garb and having their portraits taken.
It was a special gathering for women, some of whom, according to 601 Outreach Coordinator Saraih-Dawn Matthews, face society’s toughest challenges.
“We host this day for some of the women who access our services to come and feel beautiful and get to worry only about themselves and not everything else going on in their lives. They face challenges that include housing, employment, poverty, and for some that have HIV, the stigma that goes with it, poor treatment in hospitals, lack of access to medical care and the list goes on.”
All too often Aboriginal women are over represented as clients at the 601 Centre. Aboriginal women are also over represented in the prison system, the bad part of the health system and also, in the missing and murdered category. The statistics all tie together and lead to the fact that our women are the most vulnerable in Canada.
Missing and murdered Aboriginal women is a crime problem as Prime Minister Harper likes to say, not a sociological problem. But you will never see the coward Prime Minister debate a sociologist on this topic. Heck, he won’t even answer reporters’ questions about it. The systems in our society are set up against Aboriginal women and we have to change those systems.
A national inquiry will not happen as long as the current federal government is in power, even though the United Nations, multitudes of municipalities, provincial leaders and Aboriginal leaders across Canada are calling for one.
In the absence of an inquiry, why don’t we all commit to doing our part to stop this cycle? If you know of a friend in an abusive relationship, help them. Report violent people. Help (not enable) your friends struggling with addictions or mental health issues. Take care of your family the best you can.
The fine folk at 601 Outreach do just that and more. “We provide lunch every day, access to the internet, resumes, jobs, support services that take people to medical and can advocate for them at court, visit people in the hospital and in prison. We have people that say our Christmas diner here feels like a family diner,” added Matthews.
Lana from Vancouver was really enjoying the little things as her hands were getting lotioned up before her manicure on Women’s Day.
“I love this spa day. I think it is awesome getting all the ladies together and treating ourselves. This is like shopping. Actually I won a door prize! I have never won anything in my life.”
Sometimes it is the little things that people can hold onto, like a new family that shares the same cares and concerns that can help them find their way in life. Other times though, it is really about the manicure, if only for a day.
And then we could vote
With the publication of this March Women’s Issue, Eagle Feather News completes its 17th year of publication and turns 18! Now we can officially vote.
We want to thank all of the readers and advertisers that have made our paper relevant over the past 17 years...and also thanks to the myriad of writers, photographers and sales people we have worked with over the years. Your contribution is cherished.
Click here for more Publisher's Notes from John as well as more from our other columnists.