Hay River embraces campaign to end violence against women
Moosehide patches doled out to show support
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Monday, March 28, 2016
HAY RIVER
A Hay River resident is asking men to don a small moosehide patch to signify a very big commitment.
Eileen Hamilton holds some of the moosehide squares she is distributing to men in Hay River as a symbol of their commitment to stand up against violence toward women and children.
women and children. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo |
Eileen Hamilton introduced the Moose Hide Campaign - a grassroots initiative to combat violence against women that began in British Columbia in 2011 - to the community in mid-March.
In essence, the moosehide square signifies the wearer will "honour, respect and protect" the women and children in their lives, and to work together with other men to end violence against females.
"It's for any man," said Hamilton. "We're asking men to use their strength to stand up and say, 'I've seen enough. I've heard enough. I want it stopped.'"
Hamilton started by distributing 500 moosehide squares around the community and has more ordered.
She told News/North she first heard about the campaign on the Internet and contacted the organizers in British Columbia about how she could help.
"It's a national campaign and they're asking anybody who wants to help to pass this campaign onto the leaders of your community because that's the first people you look up to as your leaders," said Hamilton. "And from there is will diffuse out into the community to the young men, and get them to stand up."
One of the community leaders who Hamilton has contacted about the Moose Hide Campaign is Hay River North MLA Rocky (R.J.) Simpson.
"I think it's a great idea," he said. "Family violence usually happens behind closed doors so people don't talk about it and that allows it to continue. So by wearing the moosehide, we can start conversations and that's how we start addressing the issue."
Simpson said some of the moosehide squares are being distributed at his constituency office.
"People are aware that there's a need to change," he said. "It's not a secret that family violence in the territories is at a crisis level, and I think people are glad that we realize that and we're trying to do something about it."
Hamilton said she would also like to get the moosehide squares distributed into Fort Providence, Fort Simpson and Yellowknife.
