Skip to content

Anti-violence vigil March 4 at Surrey’s Holland Park

Group aims to draw attention to domestic abuse and how to finally end it.
77069surreydr.balbirgurm
Dr. Balbir Gurm is a member of NEVR – Network to Eliminate Violence in Relationships.

A candlelight vigil will be held this weekend with an aim to prevent violence in relationships.

On Saturday (March 4) starting at 5 p.m., the public is invited to join a group looking to put an end to domestic violence.

Hosted by the Network to Eliminate Violence in Relationships (NEVR), this is the seventh such vigil held at Holland Park at 100 Avenue and King George Boulevard.

Dr. Balbir Gurm said the movement was started in 2011 after a rash of domestic violence incidents in the region.

It was becoming apparent that women were being “brutally abused and killed,” Gurm said in an interview with The Leader on Tuesday.

While much of the incidents that sparked NEVR involved female victims, Gurm noted the issue has never been just about women.

While there used to be far more female domestic violence victims than male, scientific literature is indicating the gap has closed. Many more men are being victimized in relationships.

That said, when women are the victims, the attacks are generally far more brutal, Gurm said.

“But it’s showing its ugly head everywhere now,” Gurm said.

A woman is killed every four days in Canada as a result of domestic violence.

NEVR wants to create awareness and educate the public on how to recognize abuse, intervene safely and help change the culture so that relationship violence is not tolerated or accepted by communities.

The public is invited to attend and become part of the solution.

For more information about NEVR and domestic violence, visit www.kpa.ca/nevr