Shine a Light and Save a Life!

Chilliwack

2022-09-29 13:07 PDT

File # 2022-09-29 Purple Light Nights

Chilliwack: The RCMP invite the public and media to join us and our community partners for the annual Purple Light Nights tree lighting ceremony to mark October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Date: Monday, October 3, 2022
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Chilliwack RCMP Detachment, 46326 Airport Road, Chilliwack

The month of October is a month of shining a light on intimate partner violence and sending the strong message that Domestic violence has NO place in our community. The campaign honours those who lost their lives to domestic violence, supports survivors, and gives hope to those still living with abuse.

The Purple Light Nights Campaign began in 2006 in Covington, Washington. Purple being the signifying colour, the Chilliwack RCMP Detachment will be illuminated with purple lights for the entire month.

A tree-lighting ceremony will be held outside the Chilliwack Detachment on October 3, 2022 with partner agencies that include Chilliwack RCMP Victim Services, Specialized Victim Assistance Program, Chilliwack Community Services, Ann Davis Transition Society, and Wilma’s Transition Society.

Domestic Violence is a social issue that can affect anyone regardless of their age, sexual orientation, economic background, or race. Says Corporal Carmen Kiener of the Chilliwack RCMP Domestic Violence Unit, It not only affects the victims, but also affects the children in the home, family members, and sometimes even pets. The purpose of the purple lights illuminating the RCMP Detachment this month is to bring community awareness to domestic violence and send the message that it has no place in our community.

Silent Witnesses, which are life-sized silhouettes of women, men, and children who lost their lives in acts of domestic violence will be placed throughout the City of Chilliwack. Each red silhouette represents a woman, man, child who once lived, worked, raised children, and played amongst us. Because these women, men and children no longer have a voice, the silhouettes are called Silent Witnesses.

The Chilliwack RCMP responds to over 50,000 calls for services annually, almost 1,400 of these reports are related to domestic violence. Even one incident of domestic violence is too many and we must work together to change this.

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