25 Feb 2015

INTERLACED: Photography Exhibition and Fundraising Event for Women’s Shelter

We are very happy to announce there will be a photography exhibition and fundraising event at Kissed by Light Photo Studio on Saturday, April 4th, 2015 @1pm!

There is no cover charge. A pay-what-you-can donation box will be installed at the door. Refreshments and snacks will be provided. Please RSVP on INTERLACED Facebook event page.

Save the date and we hope to see you all there!

 

INTERLACED is a series of photographic compilations created by our talented photographer and graphic artist, Lora Vertue. Visually inspired by a female form, these series attempt to provide a glimpse into the inner world of a woman by creating a visual dynamic that reflects artist’s interpretation of a complexity of a woman’s emotional states and psyche. Photo prints and a book will be available for sale at the event. Proceeds from sales will be donated to a local women’s shelter, a non-profit organization providing services and shelter for abused women and children in Canada.

The cause behind this event is an important one – we want to do what we can to help stop violence against girls and women in Canada, as well as globally. Please read on to learn more about this disturbing issue in our society.

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Our Cause: Ending violence against girls and women in Canada and the world.

In our very own country, at least one woman is killed every six days by her intimate partner.

Being accustomed to the comfort and security that Canada provides, it can be difficult to grasp just how real and acute the problem of domestic violence is still rooted in our society. The numbers are alarming; with Statistics Canada reporting that 51% of Canadian women have experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual violence since the age of 16.

Violence against women and girls occurs in all cultures and religions, within all ethnic and racial communities, and can happen to women and girls of any age, income bracket, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, or physical or mental ability.

The majority of victims of spousal violence continue to be females, accounting for 83% of all victims. In Canada, Aboriginal women are five times more likely than other women of the same age to die as the result of violence.

Despite the disturbing realities that women and girls are faced with every day, abuse is still a taboo subject in this country. Only 22% of female victims of domestic violence report their abuse to the police, and less than 10% of female victims report sexual assault.

Those who do escape their abusers have specific material and emotional needs that must be met in order to begin to lead independent, healthy lives.

On any given day in Canada, more than 3,300 women, and 3,000 children, sleep in emergency shelters to escape domestic violence. Many of these shelters also provide services that enable abused women and children to have access to responsive care, to help and empower them in their journeys to establish lives free from violence.

Additionally, public education and advocacy activities are intended to raise awareness, with a view to eliminating violence against women and children in our society. Thanks to the generous contributions of donors and community support, organizations across this country are able to provide a continuum of integrated and specialized services such as counselling, advocacy, outreach, legal and housing support, as well as programs to help build economic self-sufficiency.

Women and children escaping violence need safe havens – a home where they can heal their physical and emotional wounds and find support in rebuilding their lives.

Through participation in social movements and advocacy work, a multitude of organizations have contributed to positive changes in Canada’s legal system. As individuals, we can be part of the solution by joining forces and advocating in the anti-violence movement.

Volunteering for and supporting women’s organizations enables them to continue providing services for women who experience abuse. In addition, supporting violence prevention programs in high schools increases the ability of youth to recognize violence, transform their knowledge into action against violence, and contributes to changing systems to aid rather than impede an end to violence against girls and women.

Violence against women and girls is rooted in unequal power relationships between men and women. In a broader social context, structural inequalities in politics, religion, media and discriminatory cultural norms perpetuate violence against girls and women.

Each and every individual has the power to eradicate violence against girls and women by supporting and empowering one woman or one girl. There is an acute need for individuals to take immediate action in society.

Being aware of violence against girls and women, and exploring how we can use our power to put an end to this problem, can make a lasting difference.

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The studio invites everyone to take part in this pay-what-you-can event, to enjoy art and bring more attention to the issue of domestic violence.

Where: Kissed by Light Photo Studio, 224 Wallace Avenue, Studio #306 (third floor)
When: April 4th, 2015 1pm-5pm
Cover: No cover. Pay-what-you-can donation box will be provided

Links:

INTERLACED Facebook event Page
Interval House

With any questions, please email us at [email protected]

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