Annual walk raises awareness on domestic abuse against women

The annual Voices Empower walk brought a crowd of purple to the Waterloo Public Square on Saturday.

The walk is organized by the Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region (WCSWR) every year, in hopes to raise both money and awareness to prevent women from dying at the hands of an intimate partner, also called femicide.

Participants in purple joined the walk in honour of women who have survived domestic abuse.

Jennifer Hutton is the CEO of WSCWR. She’s been organizing the walk since 2020, which initially began as a small group and grew as years passed.

“In the last couple of years, we've walked as a big group and we have over 200 walkers this year,” said Hutton. “So, we’re really excited.”

In an email to CTV News on Tuesday, Jenna Mayne, director of communications for WSCWR, shared their initial goal of $60,000 was surpassed prior to the walk.

Through merch sales, the walk’s registration fees, sponsorships and crowdfunding, WSCWR has raised over $125,000 for safe shelter outreach services and crisis services.

“I think it's super important for us as a community to come together,” said Sarah Robertson, a survivor and participant in Saturday’s event. “I mean, you look around and you see this many people and you realize how supportive and how important it is to so many people.”

“The reason why [the walk is] six kilometers is symbolic because sadly every six days in Canada, a woman is killed by their intimate partner,” said Hutton.

According to the WSCWR website, there were 187 femicides in Canada in 2023. That number is three higher than the year before. Thirty-two femicides have taken place in Ontario alone in the first six months of 2024.