Violence against women still too common in Calgary says YWCA

Twenty-six years ago today, a man walked into the cole Polytechnique in Montreal and opened fire, killing 14 female engineering students.

The Montreal Massacre, as it isknown, was the bloody work of a self-proclaimed anti-feminist determined to gun down as many women as he could.

• From the archives:The Montreal Massacre
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• Police Chief Roger Chaffin on why Calgary's homicides, domestic violence may be on the rise

As a result, December 6 has been set aside as a day to remember and take action against violence against women.

Elsbeth Mehrerwith the YWCA of Calgary, however, says not enough is being done.

"We know that so far this year we've already had five women in Calgary losetheir lives to their partners," she says.

"We've seen a marked increase according to the statistics from Calgary Police Service in the number of calls that they're receiving, and we know that in every neighbourhood in our community there are relationships that are not healthy and in whichwomen are unsafe."

In Calgary there were 2,322 domestic violence incidents between January and September this year, according to police. That's an increase from last year and well ahead of the five-year average of 1,863 incidents.

There were also 10,342 domestic conflicts with no physical violence.

Restrictions and victimization

"Unless the violence is ended in a homicide, often times it doesn't even register," says Mehrer."And when it has ended in a homicideas it does every six days in Canada,a woman loses her life to her partneryou know even then it's a one-day story."

Mehrer says anytime a woman's choices are restricted, they're victimized.Today, she says,some women are still restricted by access to abortion, being told what they can wearor how they spend their lives.

"It's everything from street harassment and cat-calling,to sexual assault, to domestic violenceand ... oppressive, oppressive practices ... that restrict women's rights and freedom," she said.

In partnership with ATB Financial and the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation, the YWCA lit the Langevin Bridge and McMahon Stadium red on Sunday night "as a visual reminder and to honour all women who have lost their lives."

The Calgary Tower was also red to honour the day.