Chestermere residents are invited to stand together against domestic and gender-based violence during Light the Night, a free community gathering at John Peake Park on Saturday, Sept. 19.
The event, organized by the Chestermere Women’s Crisis Society, will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Its purpose is to raise awareness of violence and encourage the community to help create safer conditions for everyone.
While the evening is centred on a public gathering, its message reaches beyond the park. Domestic violence frequently happens away from public view, leaving those experiencing it feeling isolated or uncertain about where they can turn for assistance.
The Chestermere Women’s Crisis Society works as a community liaison, helping connect women in crisis with services and practical resources. Its work can include helping people affected by domestic abuse as well as individuals and families dealing with housing, food, clothing and other immediate needs.
Gender-based violence is a broad term. It can include physical or sexual violence, emotional and psychological abuse, controlling behaviour, harassment and financial abuse. It may take place within intimate relationships, families, workplaces or the wider community.
Events such as Light the Night provide an opportunity to bring those experiences into the open without placing the responsibility for change on survivors. Friends, relatives, neighbours, employers and community organizations can all play a role by listening without judgment, learning how to recognize concerning behaviour and knowing where professional help is available.
For someone experiencing abuse, seeking assistance can be a difficult and highly personal decision. Support should be offered carefully, without confrontation or pressure that could place the person at greater risk. Trained workers can provide information about available services and help someone consider their options.
Albertans seeking information about family violence can contact the provincial Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818. The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters also operates a confidential, 24-hour shelter information line at 1-866-331-3933. Anyone facing immediate danger should call 911.
Light the Night is open to the community and admission is free. No registration requirement has been announced.
For Chestermere, the gathering offers a visible statement that domestic and gender-based violence are not simply private matters. They are community concerns—and building a safer community begins by refusing to look away.