14th annual Shine the Light on Women Abuse campaign begins

This year’s campaign focuses not only on intimate partner violence but also on the femicide experienced by missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.

The 14th annual Shine the Light on Women Abuse campaign had its launch in London, Ont.’s Victoria Park Wednesday evening.

November is dedicated to the prevention and eventual elimination of violence against women.

This year’s campaign focuses not only on intimate partner violence, but also on the femicide experienced by missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.

The 2023 campaign honours domestic abuse survivor Renée Kowalchuk and 39-year-old Morgan Harris, who was murdered along with three other Indigenous women, allegedly by a serial killer.

“Every November, with this being the 14th year, we come together to turn London purple to raise awareness of the issues surrounding woman abuse,” London Abused Women’s Centre (LAWC) executive director Jennifer Dunn said.

“Women and girls in our community deserve to feel safe and deserve to be believed. Women need to know that any shame or blame that they feel does not belong to them. It belongs to the perpetrators of the abuse.”

At the launch, Kowalchuk shared her story with those in attendance and encouraged other women to speak out about their experiences.

“The thing that a lot of people don’t understand about domestic abuse is that it’s not a specific demographic. It happens to anyone, anywhere at any time,” Kowalchuk said.