A number of events are being held around the city Thursday to mark the 101st anniversary of International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures.”
Among the events, the results of a global data count were released. The data is based on the number of women shelters around the world helped, including shelters here in Alberta.
43 shelters participated in the survey province wide, which was performed on October 19, 2011. On that day, the shelters helped 744 women and 606 children. In addition, they had to turn away 70 women and 78 children due to a lack of resources.
Of the women who were helped, 22 reported to have been threatened by a gun. Jan Reimer of the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters says awareness needs to be raised about domestic violence.
“People may not be aware of it in some ways, but everybody knows someone who has been a victim of domestic violence. They may just not know of it, it’s that pervasive.”
Reimer says violence against women is an underlying problem that is at the base of many other issues including gang violence, homelessness and people with drug addictions.
“There is an undercurrent here of a significant social issue that needs to be addressed and we want people to have peaceful, loving relationships not ones where they have to go home and cower because they’re afraid.” she adds.
Reimer says the council wants to work with all level of governments to address the issues and shortages being faced by shelters in Alberta.
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