There seem to be weeks and days designated to mark just about everything these days. They range from long held weeks such as those remembering the contributions of our veterans, to the importance of agriculture.
Others are less well-known, and in some cases seem rather insignificant, including days that mark certain foods, or events which are more promotional in nature than anything else.
The result of all the designations is that sometimes it becomes too easy for the public to tune out important weeks which deserve to be marked by having us all pause to think about the topic the week marks.
Monday Yorkton Council unanimously supported a request at its regular meeting Monday designating Battered Women's Awareness Week for Dec. 5 to 11 in the city.
In making the request for the designation LaVern Dumka, Director with Shelwin House said the week is one where the community has "time to reflect on violence against woman in our community, across Canada and around the world." (See related story this issue).
"The reality of violence affects each and every one of us," she said, adding one-in-four Canadian women have experienced abuse at the hands of their partner.
The issue of violence against women is not new. It is an age-old social issue with high profile examples including the sordid murders of prostitutes by Jack the Ripper, through too many serial murders to list.
The issue though really galvanized for Canadians on Dec. 6, 1989.
For 45 minutes on that day an enraged gunman roamed the corridors of Montreal's École Polytechnique and killed 14 women.
Marc Lepine, 25, separated the men from the women and before opening fire on the classroom of female engineering students screamed, "I hate feminists."
Lepine would take his own life that day too, but it was the senseless killing of the female students which brought into tighter focus the issue of violence against women.
It is not coincidence that Battered Women's Awareness Week is the first week of December since it marks the anniversary of the deaths in Montreal 21-years ago.
Dumka summed up the importance of the week suggesting it is "a means of emphasizing the need for the entire community to work together to eliminate violence."
One of the key events to mark the week in Yorkton will be a Candlelight Vigil Dec. 11, at Sacred Heart High School starting at 2 p.m.
The Vigil is a way for people to gather collectively to show their support for helping society find a way to bring to an end to violence against women.
While many weeks get designated, none have a greater reason for existing than Battered Women's Awareness Week, and we should not lose sight of that fact.
