On December 6th, Canadians commemorate the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. It was established in 1991 by the Canadian Parliament to remember the 14 young women who were killed on December 6, 1989 at l’Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal for choosing to fulfill a professional dream in a non-traditional area.

The date was also proclaimed to remember all women who have died as a result of violence and provides us with an opportunity to think about the women and girls who live with the daily threat of violence.

Violence is a well-known reality for many Canadian women. It is likely that most women have experienced some form of violence in their life or have limited their actions because they have fears of violence.