Fraser Valley – From September 9 to October 6, Ann Davis Transition Society is asking residents of Chilliwack to support our efforts to provide education, prevention, and support services to those affected by abuse or violence. Community members can support by donating to the annual Shoppers Foundation for Women’s HealthTM Giving Shelter campaign, which supports women and families fleeing violence.
Violence against women is far more common than we think, with two in five women experiencing domestic violence in their lifetime.[i] Many of us may not realize that a friend, neighbour, or coworker could be affected by domestic violence. Globally, intimate partner violence is one of the most frequent forms of violence against women.[ii] Concerningly, 80 per cent of intimate partner violence continues to go unreported.[iii]
Ann Davis Transition Society has partnered with the Shoppers Foundation for Women’s HealthTM to raise funds to support vulnerable women and children in Chilliwack.
“Domestic violence continues to be a devastating issue for women across Canada, and in our community, In BC last year domestic violence numbers increased by 37%, numbers of femicides are usually 12 which is high but last year it was a shockingly high unprecedented 29 women killed in BC. It’s critically important for women fleeing domestic violence to have support services,” said Patti MacAhonic, Executive Director of Ann Davis Transition Society. “Through the Shoppers Foundation for Women’s HealthTM Giving Shelter campaign, Chilliwackians have the opportunity to give back and make a difference for women in our community who desperately need our services.”
The in-store campaign provides customers with the opportunity to purchase and personalize Shoppers Foundation for Women’s HealthTM icons, which are prominently displayed in all participating stores. Customers can support women in their community by visiting any local Shoppers Drug Mart and purchasing a “heart hand” icon, a blue heart hand for $2, red heart hand for $5, dark blue heart hand for $10 and a purple heart hand for $20, with 100 per cent of funds supporting Ann Davis Transition Society.
The Shoppers Foundation for Women’s HealthTM Giving Shelter campaign is an annual initiative and is one of the leading partnership campaigns of the Shoppers Foundation for Women’s HealthTM platform – the Company’s commitment to fostering health equity by making care more equitable and accessible for all women in Canada.
[i] Statistics Canada. 2021. Intimate partner violence in Canada, 2018. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/210426/dq210426b-eng.htm
[ii] WHO A. World Health Organization; Geneva: 2021. Violence against women prevalence estimates, 2018: Global, regional and national prevalence estimates for intimate partner violence against women and global and regional prevalence estimates for non-partner sexual violence against women.
[iii] Spousal violence in Canada, 2019
