Silence is a way of life for many women. Women who have been forced to live in fear. Women who feel powerless and alone. Women who have been physically, mentally and psychologically abused.

Because of that silence, it’s easy for people to go their whole lives without breathing a word about the pandemic of violence that affects women across the globe, our country, our province and our community.

Silence allows people to push the problem aside. It allows them to believe that violence against women is an issue limited to third-world countries, where rape is used as a weapon of war or where genital mutilation is commonplace. 

Silence leaves the women in our own community, who have suffered sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or physical abuse, without understanding or support. It leaves them vulnerable to further abuse and it leaves them to suffer alone.

To stop the suffering and to stop the pandemic of violence against women, the silence needs to stop. 

And that’s why it’s so important that every year communities across the globe take part in the 16 Days of Activism campaign that launched Nov. 25, on the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Through awareness campaigns and awareness days like these, women are given a voice and with a voice they are able to create change.

Jasper has been participating in the international human rights campaign for five years.

This year, the organizers have put a focus on breaking the silence, by calling on women in the community to anonymously write their stories of violence, so they can be read by all.

During the campaign, the stories will be posted in the front window of the Provincial Building.

This visual, public display will give women an opportunity to free themselves of the burden of silence.

And it will also raise awareness and shatter the misconception that Jasper is free of violence against women, which, I can only hope, will then mobilize the entire community to work toward the elimination of gender-based violence. 

Now this isn’t a fight for just the ladies. We need the help of men, too. 

And that’s why Jasper’s 16 Days of Activism campaign is wrapping up with A Call to Men.

Men in our community are being asked to commit to working toward the elimination of violence against women. To show their commitment, they’re asked to write it down, so it can be displayed alongside the stories of violence at the Provincial Building.

These written commitments are a valuable part of the campaign because without the support of men, violence against women will never stop. 

So I call on all of the men in the community to stand alongside Jasper’s women and make a commitment to help eliminate physical, sexual, and psychological gender-based violence.

And I encourage everyone to take part in the awareness events being held between now and Dec. 10.

DISCLAIMER: The Last Word is an opinion column, it is meant to provoke thought and debate. As such, any opinions written here are the writer’s own and do not reflect the viewpoint of any other Fitzhugh staff member or the directors of the Jasper Media Group Inc.