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 From left, Shannon Jensen, president of Aurora student council; Pauline Sestito, counsellor with Family Counselling; and Elizabeth Kitson, counsellor at Aurora College, took part in Inuvik's candlelight vigil. - Dorothy Westerman/NNSL photo |
On Dec.6, 1989, Marc Lepine burst into an engineering classroom at Ecole Polytechnique, killing 14 women and injuring eight women and four men. He then turned the gun on himself.
 Marilyn Carroll holds a candle during a vigil on the steps of Hay River Town Hall Dec. 6, the 15th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo |
Elizabeth Kitson, a counsellor at Aurora College, said the vigil also served another purpose, one that was much more personal for many of those in attendance.
"It is also time to reflect on the experiences of all women who have died as a result of violence and those who have had the courage to leave abusive relationships," Kitson said.
One by one during the vigil, many of the 21 participants took the opportunity to speak of personal experiences or about family violence within society. Pauline Sestito, a counsellor with Family Counselling in Inuvik, told the group that raising awareness of the cycle of violence is vital to stopping the destructive behaviour.
"In ending family violence, it is important that we don't normalize it," Sestito said.
Gerri Sharpe-Staples told the gathering of her own experiences with family violence while growing up.
"Many nights I would sit with my hands over my younger brother's ears and sing loudly, so he would not hear the words being said by our father," she said.
Growing up in an atmosphere of violence and disturbance affects the quality of the lives of children, Sharpe-Staples said.
"Don't let our children be the next murderers."
Ellen Smith is another woman who has suffered a lifetime of abuse, both at home and at a residential school.
She spoke of the constant belittlement and harsh words hurled at her.
Determined to break free of the abuse, she reached out and became a survivor.
Kitson said the sharing circle was a positive and empowering experience for those affected by abuse.
"We are constantly learning from their diverse lived-experiences and are able to use them as a frame of reference to raise awareness of violence against women," Kitson said.
