Next week, members of the community can stand up for those who can no longer stand up for themselves.
The Sisters In Spirit Walk/Vigil will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 4 beginning at 5 p.m. at the Athabasca United Church. The event will honour and remember missing and murdered Aboriginal women.
Despite the name, it won’t ( or at least, shouldn’t) just be women walking and remembering. Organizers invite men to also take part and add their voices and support to the cause.
Violence against Aboriginal women is an ongoing and disturbingly prevalent issue. According to the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), female aboriginals account for approximately 10 per cent of female homicides in the country, despite making up only three per cent of the national population of women. Aboriginal women in Canada report rates of violence 3.5 times higher than non-aboriginal women, and are five times more likely to die as a result of it.
Violence should never be met with silence. And those who can’t demand justice for themselves need us to take up the call.
