A collaboration of l’EntourElle’s and the Fort Coulonge Knights of Columbus, the purpose of the walk was to sensitize the community on the subject of domestic violence towards women with the goal of bringing it to an end altogether.

L’EntourElle’s Community Intervener Vanessa Chabot explained that the event was a way to kick off the annual campaign to end violence against women consisting of 12 days of action, taking place from Nov. 25 to Dec. 6.

She noted that the last day of the campaign will mark the 30th anniversary of the sexist mass-murder that took place at l’École Polytechnique de Montreal.

With the walk scheduled for noon, participants started entering the hall around 15 minutes before to get themselves prepared for the trek down the town’s streets.

Along with participating in the walk, attendees were asked to wear white ribbons on their lapels to support the cause.

Escorted by Sûreté du Québec officers and members of the local fire department, the walk took participants through a nearly three km trek, from the Knights of Columbus Hall to the streets of Fort Coulonge and Mansfield et Pontefract.

After the walk, participants gathered outside the Paroisse St. Pierre, where organizers inaugurated a bench to commemorate the lives of women who have fallen victim to domestic abuse over the years.

The event’s organizer Marc Boisvert explained that he initially started the event, after learning that a woman named Diane Durocher lost her life to domestic abuse, 13 years ago.

Boisvert said that he wanted to inaugurate a public bench in Durocher’s honour, for the walk’s 10-year anniversary. But, in an effort to honour all women who have been domestically abused over the years, he named it the “Banc des Diane” [Tr. Bench of Dianes].

“A lot of women have been victims of domestic violence,” he said. “They’re all Diane.”

For Chabot, organizing the event is very important for the community, noting that domestic violence against women is a lot more prevalent than most people think.

“We’re talking about one in three women who are victims of domestic violence,” she said.

For Boisvert, the most important part of the walk is that it reminds people that they are not alone and that every step of action against domestic violence can go a long way.

“We can’t heal everyone,” he said. “But if we can save one couple in our region, we’ve done something very positive.”

Judging by the large crowd on hand, Boisvert was quite proud of the community’s response to the cause, stating that it was likely the town’s most popular walk against domestic violence so far.

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