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    • 14th annual Shine the Light on Women Abuse campaign launched

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    The 14th annual Shine the Light on Women Abuse campaign was launched Wednesday evening in London’s Victoria Park.

    Renée Kowalchuk addressed a gathering, hoping her voice will help others find their voice.

    "I'm here to encourage women to stand up and speak out," she said.

    Kowalchuk told her story of meeting a man at a baseball tournament. She was in her teens and he in his 20’s.

    She recounted how insecure she felt and how he made her feel special. She soon found herself locked in a world of dependency that included verbal and physical abuse.

    "The only way I could describe him is to say he was a wolf in sheep's clothing,” Kowalchuk told CTV News. “He charmed me. He charmed my friends and my family. Even after I did come forward and talk about this I got comments like, 'I thought he was such a nice guy.’"

    London Abused Women’s Centre (LAWC) Executive director Jennifer Dunn said the story is more common than many people want to admit.

    According to Dunn, helping abused woman often means making sure they can leave safely and on their terms.

    "It's not as easy as people think. It's not easy to just get up and uproot your whole life, and potentially your children's lives, to leave the situation,” she added.

    The month of November is dedicated to the issue of men's violence against women, with purple being the colour of the cause.

    Dozens gathered in London's Victoria Park for the launch of the 14th annual Shine the Light on Women Abuse campaign. Nov. 1, 2023. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)

    Kowalchuk helped light a tree covered in purple lights in Victoria Park as part of the campaign launch. In the coming days, a number of prominent buildings in the city will be lit in purple.

    Nov. 15 is wear purple day. Dunn said it's all about creating a dialogue, "Create a conversation. Intentionally have a conversation with somebody about why you're wearing purple and that will raise awareness. You know, if this month brings one woman to the realization that she can access support in our community then that's all we need."

    This year they are also focusing on the ongoing issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirited people, with Morgan Harris' image recognized as a silent witness.

    LAWC creates silhouettes of woman who were killed by a man as part of the Silent Witness program. Each victim’s image has a plaque that tells their story.

    Winnippeg police believe Harris was the victim of a serial killer in Winnipeg, and her remains are in a landfill near that city.

    Kowalchuk hopes others will be helped by hearing these difficult stories, "As long as I have a voice I will continue to use it because this is something that happens behind closed doors but it can't stay behind those doors anymore. It's an epidemic and it needs to stop," she said.

    A number of fundraising events have been planned for November as part of the Shine the Light on Women Abuse campaign.

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