Almost 1,000 people turned out to London’s 26th International Women’s Day breakfast hosted by the London Abused Women’s Centre (LAWC) on Friday.
Author Heather Marshall was the keynote speaker at this year’s breakfast at London’s RBC Place, which offered games, prizes and auctions as part of the fundraiser to support the organization, which supports abused, assaulted and exploited women and girls.
“It’s a chance for us to think about how every person in this room has a woman in their life or is a woman who is contributing to how this world is turning,” said Gail McVicar, the London Abused Women’s Centre community engagement manager.
LAWC game Badge (Credit: Emily Kim/XFM News)
International Women’s Day is a global day that recognizes women’s achievements on March 8 while calling for action toward gender equality.
This year’s theme was women’s words. LAWC wants to encourage women and girls to raise their voices, for their opinions to be heard, for their advocacy to be heard, and for some people women’s words means writing, McVicar said.
Marshall’s book, Looking for Jane, focuses partly on women who formed an illegal abortion network in Toronto in the 1970s.
Everyone should to know that intimate partner violence is a huge issue in community, said LAWC executive director Jennifer Dunn.
London Abused Women’s Centre community engagement manager Gail McVicar (Credit: Emily Kim/XFM News)
“We provide service to women and girls over the age of 12 who have been subjected to this kind of violence and we do that by providing immediate access to long-term counselling, advocacy and support. And so, the whole idea is that women need immediate access so that when they’re ready, when they’re wanting to share their story, somebody is available to listen to them.”
Dunn also said it is important for women to know that they are not alone when they are abused.
“There is help available in our community when you’re ready, but also that you do not have to be, you are not less than anything. You are powerful and you can do whatever you want to do and that’s the message we would send to women and girls ahead of International Women’s Day on Sunday.”
LAWC offers free, woman-centered and feminist counselling to women and girls over 12 who have been abused and exploited.
McVicar also said the biggest driving force behind this event for 26 years is the biggest fundraiser of the year.
London Abused Women’s Centre executive director Jennifer Dunn (Credit: Emily Kim/XFM News)
“All of our services are not only confidential, but they are free to every woman or girl that walks through our doors.”
For example, every woman and girl gets bus tickets for free to attend their counselling sessions at the London Abuse Women’s Centre.
“Having a fundraiser like this allows us to make sure that happens.”
All funds raised would go to frontline services for the London Abused Women’s Centre to help women and girls.
“We’ve been doing this for 26 years and the pandemic put a little bit of a wrench in our growth, but I think to have 760 seated guests and around 800 people in this room is such an accomplishment,” Dunn added. “I think continuing to spread awareness and celebrate our successes and speak about the issues with a call to action is so important and so that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”
