PIKWAKANAGAN – Brainstorming meetings have been taking place around the county to start the design process for the sexual violence survivors’ monuments initiated by the Women’s Sexual Assault Centre of Renfrew County (WSAC).
This community art project is funded through the provincial Creative Engagement Fund to Stop Sexual Violence and Harassment in Ontario.
There will be four sexual violence survivors’ monuments located in Renfrew County including one in Eganville, Killaloe, Pikwakanagan and Pembroke.
At the design brainstorming meeting held at the Elders Lodge, Pikwakanagan, WSAC Director JoAnne Brooks said public participation is so important.
“This process is an amazing process. Everyone who comes out can have a voice in what is happening,” she said. “They can talk about words that are important to them about sexual violence. They can draw images that are important to them. They can share with other people the importance of what this project means to them in a really safe way. We know that lots of folks can’t come out because it is very scary. It is a big leap of faith, that experience touches them intimately and it is difficult to come out.”
Get your July 13, 2016 edition of The Valley Gazette to read the full story.