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DOVE honours memory of women killed

More than a quarter century ago, a misogynist turned a gun on 14 women at École Polytechnique
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Sunday marks the National Day of Rembrance on Violence against Women.

For the past 26 years, a horrible tragedy has stood as a stark reminder of violence against women.

It was Dec. 6, 1989, when 14 women were killed at Montreal's École Polytechnique by a gunman claiming to hate feminists and the place women took in society.

The killer targeted women only at Polytechnique, an engineering school, because he didn't like that women were taking jobs previously almost exclusively the domain of men.

By the time he turned the gun on himself, he had killed 14 women and had wounded 14 others – 10 of them women.

As part of the Purple Ribbon Campaign and to support and raise awareness of this important day, the Delta Opposes Violence Everywhere (DOVE) Committee will be holding several community events, handing out purple ribbons and providing information, resources, and support to the public.

To remember the day, members of DOVE will be active in the following locations in the community:

Friday (Dec. 4) during the lunch hour Dove will be at Delta high schools including Sands Secondary, North Delta Secondary, Delview Secondary School and South Delta Secondary.

Then on Saturday (Dec. 5) 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Sungod Recreation Centre 7815 112th St.

And on Sunday (Dec. 6)  9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Ladner Leisure Center 4600 Clarence Taylor Cresc. (Caber, the Trauma Dog, will also on be on site.)

DOVE's objective is to increase public awareness surrounding violence in any type of relationship, and the committee’s coordinated efforts work toward reducing any gaps or duplications in services that may exist in the Delta area.

DOVE is comprised of members from various community service agencies within Delta (including Delta Police Victim Services and the Delta Police Domestic Violence Unit) whose focus is the prevention of relationship violence through education.

More information about DOVE, its publications including safety plans, programs, and committee members can be found at deltapolice.ca/dove.

The victims of the Polytechnique massacre are Geneviève Bergeron, 21; Hélène Colgan, 23; Nathalie Croteau, 23; Barbara Daigneault, 22; Anne-Marie Edward, 21; Maud Haviernick, 29; Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz , 31; Maryse Laganière, 25; Maryse Leclair, 23; Anne-Marie Lemay, 22; Sonia Pelletier, 23; Michèle Richard, 21; Annie St-Arneault, 23; and Annie Turcotte, 21.