City names street in honour of domestic violence victims
Published Friday November 14th, 2008
Fredericton has become the second capital city in Canada to create Angel Crescent to honour women who have been victims of domestic violence.
Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik, who heads up the capital city of Iqaluit in Nunavut, launched the street-naming tribute after her 16-year-old sister Mary Ann Birmingham was killed in her home in 1997.
Last February, Sheutiapik asked the Canadian Capital Cities Organization to approve a proposal to have each Canadian capital name a street using the word "Angel" to honour other victims of domestic violence.
Fredericton Coun. Marilyn Kerton, the city's appointee to the national organization, agreed with the concept.
"We passed a resolution stating that all capital cities would have a street named Angel Street in their city in memory of any woman who has lost her life due to violence," Kerton said at a city hall ceremony Thursday to officially unveil Fredericton's street.
While other cities are working out where and how to name their streets, Fredericton has jumped ahead of the pack.
With a new 100-lot subdivision planned for her Barkers Point ward, Kerton said it wasn't difficult to create Angel Crescent.
The street will run off Sumac Street on a former industrial property owned by J.D. Irving that's undergoing a residential transformation.
"I think it's important because as capital cities, we need to take leadership roles, and family violence, domestic violence and violence against women, they're all one and the same. Part of it is awareness and education and to bring this to the forefront," Kerton said Thursday.
Everyone has a role to play in curbing and reporting domestic violence, she said.
Therese Murray, executive director of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation, applauded the city's effort. Support for the cause of ending family violence is always welcome and good ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, she said.
The foundation works to create awareness of the extent and causes of family violence and to support women who need to escape domestic abuse.
"Information is always power. It's knowing where to go to, who to turn to, and when you're in a situation, sometimes you can feel hopeless and helpless," Murray said.
"We can't give up on this issue. Trying to work together on the issue, trying to keep the barriers down so that when somebody is finally ready or their circumstances are ready for that person to leave, it's an easier walk, an easier path for them."
This month is dedicated to family violence prevention and education and as part of the foundation's public education role, it has co-organized the Silent Witness project.
Life-size, wooden silhouettes of New Brunswick women who died at the hands of a husband, partner or acquaintance since 1990 are on display at many public buildings around Fredericton.
At city hall, the scarlet-red silhouettes had personal items on them belonging to victims - from a simple scarf to a piece of jewelry - and each silhouette has a plaque explaining the circumstances of the victim's death.
While family violence affects people from all walks of life, statistically women are the most likely victims of domestic violence and domestic homicide, Murray said.
Aspiring Canadian Inuit rock singer Lucie Idlout has adapted one of her new songs and renamed it Angel Street to sing about spousal abuse and to support the street-naming project. Three members of Blue Rodeo have performed the song with her and Idlout has recorded it with the Idlout Youth Choir.
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However my only concern is that whenever i hear stats on Domestic Violence regardless if it be on the Radio Television And or other ways.
I never hear of anything for men and the options or avenues they can take in the case of them being the victim.
Alot of men are or have been affected by Domestic Violence yet we don't hear as much about it.
I have often wondered if we have made it even hatder for these men to come forward as there is no awareness out there for them, So most may be sitting in silence due to the lack of awareness or The lack of suport we have ,And letting them know that there is NO difference, Male or Female Violence hurts .
I am very happy that women are finding more help and support.However lets not forget that others are out there suffering and afraid to come forward because when something like this is never brought up,It understandable if they feel alone.
Would love to see a change and be a part of protecting both.