Moose Hide Campaign aims to raise awareness of violence against aboriginal women

Some Cambrian College students will be wearing a piece of moose hide on their chests Thursday in Sudbury as part of a Canadiansocial initiative.

The project is called the Moose Hide Campaign and it's purpose is to raise awareness of violence against aboriginal women and children through conversation.

Sarah Kaelas is the student co-ordinatorfor the grassroots movement at Cambrian College and told CBC News she connects with the project on a personal level.

• Men fight violence towards aboriginal women with campaign

"Violence is so prevalent not only in indigenous culture, but every culture. I personally haven't been a victim of domestic abuse, but I know many women who have," she said.

"Often times, men are the perpetrators of the violence. So, we need to make them understand the effects of violence not only physically, but emotionally and help them understand that their actions affect their communities around them."

The campaign was founded five years ago in B.C. after a First Nation man was hunting for moose on a highway where 18 women have gone missing or were found murdered.

That day,Paul Lacerte was travelling with his daughter, Raven, and was inspired to start the initiative to help ensure she lives a violence-free life.While cleaning a moose later on, they decided to use its hide for the cause.

Since then, men have been meeting annually as part of the project to discuss violence faced by aboriginal women and children, why it happens and how they can help prevent it.