Local Zonta Club teaming up to help raise awareness

The Zonta Club of Sault Ste. Marie is teaming up with local groups to focus on specific aspects of their stance against gender-based violence.

Working with groups like the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service and sports teams like the Soo Thunderbirds, the club is focusing on key aspects including femicide in Ontario and working with groups to bring the issue forward.

Following is a full release on the local efforts to raise awareness:

Thirty-five percent of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.

As part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence—an international campaign that aims to inspire action and end violence against women and girls around the world—the Zonta Club of Sault Ste. Marie Area, along with members of the local community, joined together to advocate for a world free from violence against women and girls.

At the local level, Zonta clubs across the world have organized activities and events as part of the 2022 Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign, which focuses on the service and advocacy actions of Zonta clubs and districts to prevent and end violence against women and girls in their local communities.

The Zonta Club of Sault Ste. Marie Area is focusing on two aspects in their stance against gender-based violence: femicide in Ontario and collaborating with allies in our community to bring this issue forward.

“Zonta is deeply concerned about the increase in femicides in Ontario over the years, as documented by OAITH (Ontario Association of Interval and Transitional Housing). There were 58 documented femicides in Ontario from Nov. 26, 2020 to Nov. 25, 2021 and it appears in the last year, there were 52 femicides. Since 2019, we have been honouring these women and girls through an exhibit of orange shoes at a variety of venues in our community. This year 58 pairs of orange shoes are on display at the John Rhodes Centre for the 16 Days of Activism until Dec. 10, 2022,” said Zonta President, Kathy Rydall.

“This year we are joining with a number of community organizations and businesses to speak out against gender-based violence,” said Zonta First Vice-President and Advocacy Chair, Jane Vienneau. We are pleased with the response from allies in our area. To date these include Sault Ste. Marie Police Services, Fire Services and Paramedics, the Blind River Beavers hockey team, the Soo Thunderbirds, Avery Construction, Q Café, Algoma Elementary Teachers, Sault and District Labour Council and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF).”