Ruth Goose remembers that bruises, black eyes and swollen lips were a much more common sight in public years ago.
Though it鈥檚 rarer now to see people display obvious signs of abuse, she thinks family violence is still a problem.
鈥淚 think a lot of the violence has gone behind closed doors,鈥� said Goose, one of the organizers of the events during Family Violence Awareness Week next week and also a member of the Mental Health Awareness Working Group, which has been meeting regularly to address these issues in the community.
鈥淚t鈥檚 still happening and we need to talk about it. If we don鈥檛 talk about it, it鈥檒l never go away. People suffer in silence, when really it鈥檚 everybody鈥檚 business.鈥�
Family violence affects everyone, she said, especially in such a small and tight-knit community.
鈥淚t might be your neighbour, it might be the girl down the street, or it might be the man on the next block who鈥檚 being abused,鈥� said Goose. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not necessarily women. It鈥檚 children as well who suffer from family violence 鈥� they watch it. It鈥檚 not only physical violence. It鈥檚 verbal abuse, it鈥檚 mental abuse.鈥�
And if it鈥檚 not brought up, spoken about and dealt with, that cycle is just going to continue, she said.
Peggy Day, another organizer of the awareness week, said the events are about promoting a healthy lifestyle and healthy relationships.
Some activities will include board games, swim nights, traditional activities and a crib tournament. Goose will also be working with students at the secondary school to promote non-violence.
鈥淏ecause we鈥檙e promoting a healthy lifestyle with healthy relationships, getting together families, doing healthy activities, it will make them want to do the activities more and more on their own instead of just leaving their kid at home or letting them run around and do their own things,鈥� said Day.
The impacts of family violence can be seen everywhere, she said.
鈥淵ou can see the impacts on your personal family and your friend鈥檚 family, how it affects everybody,鈥� said Day. 鈥淓verybody has to tip-toe around the abuser and nobody says anything. Everybody is quiet. This is where we鈥檇 really like to speak about it and get it out in the open and get it out in everybody鈥檚 face and say it鈥檚 not right, it has to be stopped.鈥�
Both encourage everyone to come out to next week鈥檚 events.
A family swim is scheduled for 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, and a crib and games night at Ingamo Hall will be held 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20.
Other event times were tentative as of press but should be posted online once finalized.
People are also encouraged to wear purple on Friday, Oct. 20.
