Women from the Osoyoos Indian Band beat drums and sang during a break between speakers at the V-Day Oliver Osoyoos event Sunday at the Osoyoos Indian Band Community Hall in Oliver.
Richard McGuire Photo
Several women speak of personal experiences with domestic violence
Empowering women was the message of many speakers at a V-Day Oliver-Osoyoos event Sunday, which coincided with International Women’s Day.
The event at the Osoyoos Indian Band Community Hall in Oliver featured an art show on the theme of “The Silent Voice.” Local artists, both First Nations and non-aboriginal, depicted themes of violence against women and of women finding their voice to speak out.
“We’re trying to use art as a vehicle for social change,” said Tiffany Beckedorf, who chaired the event. “The theme of our art show is ‘The Silent Voice’ so it’s about giving victims a voice.”
It is a response, she said, to the prevalent phenomenon of blaming victims for violence against them.
In her opening remarks, Beckedorf noted that the international One Billion Rising campaign is the largest mass action in human history. It is a response, she said, to the staggering statistic that one out of every three women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime.
The speakers included several survivors of domestic violence whose personal accounts were touching to those attending and led to a few tears.
Darlene George, of the Osoyoos Indian Band, spoke about violence directed at First Nations women and recounted her own experiences.
George said she is a survivor of domestic violence and noted that First Nations women in Canada are seven times more likely to be abused than non-indigenous women.
She also recounted how her cousin, Roxanne Louie, was murdered in January, yet the accused are out on bail.
“When she went missing … I prayed and the more I prayed the sicker I felt,” said George. “Indigenous women can’t expect justice in Canada. Even non-aboriginal women can’t expect justice in Canada. Our abusers and rapists are released on bail and when they are convicted, they’re getting such light sentences that there’s no punishment and there’s no justice.”
Another speaker, Selena Morrison from Kelowna, recently gained attention when in February she posted videos to Facebook of her personal accounts of domestic abuse.
“On Feb. 6, I became a victim of domestic abuse,” Morrison said. “When the fight started, the first words out of his mouth were: ‘I’m going to break your teeth out of your head.’ My response was that no man that treats me like that would be seeing me tomorrow.”
Morrison only spoke briefly about her personal story, and most of her message was a general one about empowering women and ensuring that women know their value and convey that to their children.
“We need to make sure that the value of women is known to our children so that they are empowered to change the world,” she said. “We will create a nation of empowered women so that no one’s rights are forgotten, especially the survivors.”
Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff said boys and men also should be included in the conversation and education. She pointed out that bullying is a form of violence that happens not only to girls, but also to boys, men and women.
“We all need to be aware of it,” she said.
McKortoff went on to talk about the Soroptimist International of Osoyoos, of which she is a member, which has programs to build self-esteem and self-awareness for children in school.
Oliver Councillor Petra Veintimilla spoke of the importance of family and friends helping survivors with the healing process.
“Let her know that you care, that you don’t blame her and that you believe her,” she said. “Always encourage the survivor to seek support and share resources with her… Only she can make the decision for herself to get help.”
The event also featured drummers from the Osoyoos Indian Band as well as draws and raffles.
Funds raised will help the Okanagan Nation Transition Emergency House, the Penticton and Area Access Society to facilitate holistic self-discovery and to Desert Sun Counselling and Resource Centre Crisis Line.
Representatives from those organizations also spoke about their work.
Beckedorf, the event chair, said this is the second time the local V-Day group has held its art show in Oliver.
The group will also be staging the Vagina Monologues on April 10 to 11 at the Osoyoos Secondary School Community Theatre.
Richard McGuire
Special to the Chronicle
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- Richard McGuire Photo
