On Friday, November 24, 2023, the Town of The Blue Mountains raised the purple courage flag to recognize the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. At the ceremony, Mayor Matrosovs read the following proclamation:
WHEREAS violence continues to be the greatest gender inequality rights issue for women, girls and gender-diverse individuals; and
WHEREAS November is Woman Abuse Prevention Month; and
WHEREAS Our community is committed to ending femicide and all form of gender-based violence; and
WHEREAS Gender-based violence is a human right issue which our community must work together to address, prevent and address through public awareness and education; and
WHEREAS 1 in 3 women will experience gender-based violence in their lifetime and these numbers increase exponentially for Black, Indigenous and Women of Colour; and
WHEREAS last year in Ontario, on average every 8 days a woman or child was killed by a man know to them and one of those women lived in the Southern Georgian Bay area; and
WHEREAS this month we acknowledge our community’s support of My Friend’s House Courage Campaign and commitment to ending gender-based violence; and
WHEREAS on November 25th, The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, My Friend’s House Courage Campaign flag will be raised in recognition that the courage of a woman alone is not enough, it takes an entire community to end gender-based violence; and
Now, I, Andrea Matrosovs, Mayor of the Town of The Blue Mountains, do hereby proclaim and declare that November 25th, 2023, shall be known as “The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women” and urge all citizens to recognize this day by taking action to support survivors of gender-based violence and becoming part of efforts to end gender-based violence.
