KVR Middle School students in Penticton marched down Main Street holding up pink signs to end violence against girls and women for Moose Hide Day, May 11.
Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield also made a statement on Moose Hide Day, reminding men and boys of their responsibility to end violence against women and children.
“Moose Hide Day is a reminder of the responsibility we all have to end violence against women and children each and every day. As Raven Lacerte, the co-founder of the campaign says, women were doing all of it, the advocacy, the support, bearing the burden of the trauma and the healing,” said Bloomfield.
Started more than 10 years ago, Moose Hide Day began as a B.C.-born Indigenous-led grassroots movement to engage men and boys in ending violence towards women and children. The Highway of Tears is just one example of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls.
The statistics are shameful, said Bloomfield.
Half of all women in Canada have experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual violence since the age of 16. Spousal violence is three times higher for Indigenous women. Every 2.5 days a woman or girl is murdered in Canada and Indigenous women are killed at six times the rate of non-Indigenous women.
“So today, the Moose Hide pin stands as a sign of commitment and respect from all of us, but particularly men and boys, that violence is not the answer and that we will all treat the people in our life we love with respect and carry it through to everyone we meet.”
To date, more than 3 million moose hide pins have been distributed.
To find out more about the moose hide campaign click here.
It was just last week that over 50 people braved the rain to walk in the Red Dress march on Friday, May 5.
Through pelting rain, more than 50 came out to show their commitment to remembering and honouring the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited Individuals.
Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike participated in the Red Dress Day walk. The sound of hand drums led the way from the Ooknakane Friendship Centre to Gyro Park, where dignitaries spoke about the importance of the day.