Sixty-five per cent of Canadians know at least one woman who has experienced gender-based violence. In York Region, more than 6,000 calls about intimate partner violence are made to police each year – with many more incidents going “chronically” underreported.
On Nov. 25, the UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, keep your eyes peeled for municipal buildings lit up in purple across York Region, symbolizing support for stopping gender-based violence locally and internationally.
Prompted by a letter-writing campaign in partnership by the Aurora/Newmarket and Markham/Unionville chapters of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW), Nov. 25 will see the following locations light up in purple:
- Fred A. Lundy Bridge, Water Street, Newmarket
- Aurora Town Square, 50 Victoria St., Aurora
- Vaughan City Hall, 2141 Major Mackenzie Dr., Vaughan
- Georgina Civic Centre, 26557 Civic Centre Rd., Georgina
- Region of York Administrative Headquarters, 17250 Yonge St., Newmarket
“Small actions can create ripple effects that lead to the elimination of violence against women and girls in communities around the world,” said Kathy Wosnick, president of CFUW Aurora/Newmarket.
Of the nine York Region municipalities contacted by CFUW, only Richmond Hill, Markham, and Whitchurch-Stouffville remain pending for a public display in support of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. King will be displaying a gender-based violence poster, and, as a non-proclamation municipality, East Gwillimbury will not be participating.
“CFUW’s goal is to engage York Region in showing solidarity against intimate partner violence, which has been declared an epidemic by the region of York, Aurora, and Richmond Hill,” said Donna Unwin, chair of the CFUW Aurora/Newmarket advocacy committee. “By lighting civic buildings purple, we aim to raise awareness and prompt action on this pressing issue.”
In addition to the building lighting, CFUW Aurora/Newmarket will also be participating in the global 16 Days of Activism from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10, which calls for the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence. As well, they’ll be participating in Yellow Brick House’s Break the Silence, Step in My Shoes Walk on Nov. 3, with a goal of raising $1,500 for shelter beds for women and children fleeing abusive homes.
“We’ve always supported issues related to women, but the question has been how do we get the word out?” said Anne Marie Devine, communications chair of CFUW Aurora/Newmarket. “What better way than to turn York Region purple on the 25th.”
Founded in 1957, the Aurora/Newmarket chapter of CFUW has long promoted women's issues in the area. Through advocacy and community involvement events like their annual Home and Garden Tour fundraiser – which recently raised $31,000 in scholarships for local women graduating high school in 2025 – the group aims to raise the social, economic, and legal status of girls and women as well as improve education, the environment, peace, justice, and human rights.
For more information, visit the CFUW Aurora/Newmarket website.
