Peterborough to mark National Red Dress Day with ceremonies, march, online chat

A number of events are planned in Peterborough, Ont., on Friday to mark the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ People.

Also known as National Red Dress Day, the day is a visual reminder of the number of Indigenous women who are victims of violence. Started in 2020 and inspired by artist Jaime Black’s  REDress Project, participants on Red Dress Day are encouraged to wear red at events or hang a red dress or item of clothing on a tree near their house, a clothesline or a door.

The events in the city include a sunrise ceremony at 8 a.m. at the Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre at 580 Cameron St. A Sacred Fire will be in place until 5 p.m.

A downtown march will begin at 1 p.m. at the Pebble Mosaic in Millennium Park on Water Street. The march will end at the Quaker Foods City Square at 215 Charlotte St. At the square will be speakers, singing and drumming from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The events are a partnership between the Friendship Centre, the Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle, Lovesick Lake Native Women’s Association, the Métis Nation of Ontario, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough and Trent University’s First Peoples House of Learning.

In 2016, an RCMP report estimated around 1,200 missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, but then-status of women minister Patty Hajdu said solid data was lacking and acknowledged the Native Women’s Association of Canada, which estimated the number was closer to 4,000,

A 2019 national inquiry has led to more than 200 calls to action on governments, institutions and agencies to address the issue.

Along with lighting city hall in red to mark Red Dress Day, the City of Peterborough will also host an Instagram Live conversation between the city’s diversity, equity and inclusion advisor, Reem Ali, and Brittany McMillan, executive director of the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre (KSAC).

The discussion at 10 a.m. will be hosted on the City of Peterborough’s Instagram account, @cityptbo. An Instagram account is not required. A recording of the conversation will be available on the city’s Instagram account following the live event.

“Red Dress Day honours the memory of those who were lost and reminds us of the work that is still ahead to address the scale of this loss and the disproportionate violence that Indigenous peoples, especially women and girls, face in our communities,” stated Ali.

“The Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre is an example of a local organization that is trying to do this work by modelling what it means to be an intersectional feminist organization. It is willing to challenge its own ways of being and doing by listening, learning, and growing through Indigenous partnerships, and by shifting and expanding its service delivery model to incorporate new non-western ways of offering supports to survivors of sexual assault/violence, particularly to those who are disproportionally harmed.”

McMillan says KSAC has a responsibility and key role to raise awareness on days such as Red Dress Day. KSAC’s 24/7 support line is available at 1-866-298-7778.

“We recognize the importance of listening to Indigenous communities,” she said. “Our team works closely with our sister agency, Niijkiwendidaa and we will continue to learn from them to combat violence against Indigenous women and girls. We have a prevention and education team who are change-makers and will continue to work with our community to help them understand the importance of ending violence against women.”

An independent, national, toll-free support call line at 1-844-413-6649 is available to provide support for anyone who requires assistance. This line is available free of charge, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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