The numbers are staggering.
More than 6,000 women and children are housed in emergency shelters each night across Canada trying to escape abuse. And this is only the tip of the iceberg.
We know that 67% of Canadians say they have personally known at least one woman who has experienced physical or sexual abuse. Approximately every six days, a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner.
Violence against women and girls is a huge international problem as well. And it has only worsened with the economic hardship and isolation caused by the ongoing world wide pandemic.
Indigenous women are three times more likely to experience domestic violence than non-Indigenous women, and three times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be killed by someone they know.
Paul and Raven Lacerte wanted to help.
So they started the Moose Hide Campaign, a campaign specifically designed to help men get more involved in helping prevent violence against women.
This growing movement all started on a hunting trip near Highway 16, (British Columbia, Canada) where many women have experienced violence or disappeared. The father daughter talk on this annual hunting trip was the inspiration for what has grown into a successful campaign.
Here is how Paul and Raven got started in their mission to help get more men involved.
Since 2011, the Moose Hide campaign has spread across Canada and has being growing each year. A recent opinion piece in the Globe and Mail has helped spread the word.
WHAT CAN MEN DO TO HELP
The Moose Hide campaign offers some helpful suggestions in their Mission statement. The campaign encourages men to stand by the following pledge:
- We will stand up with women and children and we will speak out against violence towards them.
- We will support each other as men and we will hold each other accountable.
- We will teach our young boys about the true meaning of love and respect, and we will be healthy role models for them.
- We will heal ourselves as men and we will support our brothers on their healing journey.
- We encourage you to Take Action, Make the pledge, and Stand up to end violence towards women and children.
Men have a powerful voice in Canada and throughout the world. Women and girls need our help in recognizing and speaking out against this unacceptable violence.
According to Paul and Raven,
Silence is not good enough, and simply being a non-abuser is not good enough. We must speak up and take action, and we need to support each other as Indigenous and non-Indigenous men.
Let’s all follow the Moose Hide pledge.
Until next time.
Michael
michael@aWarmHeart.ca