How to help stop violence against women over dinner

Who knew you could combat violence against women over crab cakes and dinner rolls?

Taste for Justice is a campaign conceived by Amnesty International, in which participants host or attend dinners and make contributions toward stopping gender-based violence around the world. Ginette Marcoux-Frigon, executive director of the Adult Learning Centre and one of the local organizers of the initiative, said it’s time for Jasperites to start planning their dinner parties.

“I’d really like people to start thinking about it,” she said. This year, organizers would like to see the community host 16 dinner parties in support of Amnesty International through Taste for Justice. It will be Jasper’s second year taking part and with a little planning it shouldn’t be difficult for the town to host about twice as many events as it did last year, when diners raised nearly $4,000, Marcoux-Frigon said.

Taste for Justice is part of Amnesty International’s 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women which starts on Nov. 25, the International Day Against Violence Against Women, and runs through to Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day.

There’s no recipe for a Taste for Justice event, Marcoux-Frigon said, except that participants should try to host their events between Nov. 25 and Dec. 10. “I would encourage people to be creative,” she said. Some people do potlucks or appetizer nights, and groups that gather over food can get involved by requesting contributions for the campaign at a regular meeting.

Janice Yeaman, who also works for the Adult Learning Centre, said the Taste for Justice dinner she attended last year was fabulous. “I can’t think of a more delicious way to raise money for the cause,” she said. “People knew why they were there, so in addition to great food there was learning.” 

Initiatives like this fit in with the Adult Learning Centre’s mandate to teach “local to global” perspectives, according to Marcoux-Frigon. “We recognize we’re attached and we bring awareness about global issues and how they affect us,” she said. 

At the same time, violence is an issue that affects people everywhere. “Most people would agree there’s not a lot of violence in Jasper, but there are a lot of women who don’t acknowledge it,” she said. “Emotional abuse can be as damaging as a fist to the face.”

This year’s organizers include Mental Health, HIV West Yellowhead, Victim Services, Yellowhead Emergency Shelter for Women Society, the Action Club, Jasper Jr./Sr. High School and Women of the Word, a group from the Baptist Church.

To register a Taste for Justice event or to get more information, visit the Adult Learning Centre at 631 Patricia St. or phone the centre at 780-852-4418.