A survivor of domestic violence tells her story at Langley vigil

Nineteen years after the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women began to be marked, the horror of abuse continues, speakers said during a Sunday vigil in Fort Langley to mark the day, Nov. 25.

A domestic abuse survivor said her three years with an ex who drank too much and "had problems with his temper" felt like a "horror movie."

She barely escaped with her life when he strangled and punched her.

"I was crying, shaking bloody and gasping for air," said the woman, who vigil organizers asked not to be named.

"I got out and I'm alive and happy," she said.

"You have to get out and get help before you don't get a chance [to escape]."

About two dozen people attended the candlelight vigil at the Bedford Landing Plaza, which has been organized every year since 2005 by the Ishtar Transition Housing Society and Soroptimist International of the Langleys.

Among them were Langley Township mayor Jack Froese, councillors Eric Wo0odward and Petrina Arnason, as well as Deputy Langley City mayor Gayle Martin and City councillor Rosemary Wallace.

"This is very real," Froese said.

"It happens all the time."

"Every day we are reminded of abuse against women and girls," Martin said.

"We have women coming in to our boutique who are living in cars," said Ishtar executive director Laurie Parsons.

"We are turning away three families a day in Langley."

Parsons said Ishtar hopes to develop safe and affordable housing for marginalized women.

"They deserve to be safe. We all deserve to be safe."

Roseanne Ham, Soroptimist of the Langleys past president and western Canada governor-elect, said the vigil brings attention to the fact that "violence against women is an ongoing issue, not only globally but right here in our own community."

Diane Warawa, wife of MP Mark Warawa, said stats that show one in three women and girls will experience abuse are "just mind-boggling [and we have] to have an end to this and to stop it."

Sharon Fisher, president of Soroptimist International, called abuse of women and girls "one of the most widespread and persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today."

A red sand ceremonywas held to symbolizes women who have fallen through the cracks by pouring packets of sand into the cracks of the plaza paving stones.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women honours the Mirabal sisters, who were assassinated on Nov. 25, 1960.

The Mirabal sisters were political activists in the Dominican Republic and their deaths resulted from the order of Dominican ruler Rafeal Trujillo.