A walk later this week in Windsor aims to shine a light on intimate partner violence and the impact it has on women and families.
The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation Night Light Walk will take place Oct. 24 in Windsor and in nine other communities across Canada.
Along with raising awareness about the impact of IPV, the event will also raise money to support organizations working to assist victims, with Hiatus House benefiting locally.
Maggie Durocher, Coordinator of Fundraising Development for Hiatus House, says this is only the second year for the walk.
"Last year there were five locations across the country," she says. "This year it was expanded to 10, and we were notified early in the spring by Royal LePage Binder that we were chosen locally, and we were thrilled."
Ninety-five municipalities across the country have declared intimate partner violence epidemics in their communities, including Windsor.
Durocher says their goal is to raise $30,000, and the money will go toward transitional housing.
"The donors are stepping up. We know in Windsor that there's a huge heart; there always has been. It's a very philanthropic community, and they're very, I know from being at Hiatus House, they're incredibly giving," she says.
According to Statistics Canada, an estimated 360,000 children witness family violence each year. In 2022 alone, there were over 117,000 reports of intimate partner violence, with women and girls experiencing rates more than three times higher than others.
The 3-kilometre-long Night Light Walk will take place Thursday, Oct. 24, beginning at 7 p.m. at Walkerville Collegiate Institute at 2100 Richmond St. in Windsor.
Along with the walk, the night's activities will also feature coffee and espresso, a light snack after the walk, face painting, and a clown/balloon artist.
Police say intimate partner violence can occur in any type of relationship and can include physical abuse, criminal harassment, sexual assault, financial exploitation, and coercive control.
This year through August 2024, Windsor police have responded to over 2,500 IPV-related incidents, a 7.1% increase compared to the same period last year.
