Rwandan singers and dancers were just one of the groups that gave their time and talent for the fight against violence toward women Thursday night.
The night of singing and dancing benefited the Montreal Sexual Assault Centre and the Native Women's Shelter.
The fundraiser was the brainchild of Montreal Gazette reporter Sue Montgomery.
She came up with the idea for the Twitter hashtag #beenrapedneverreported following the highly publicized sexual assault case involving former broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi.
Since then, countless stories about similar incidents, including her own, have been shared online , she says.
“Millions of women and men have told their stories in 140 characters. So it's been like this tsunami of voices and it's fantastic,” she said.
The Montreal Sexual Assault Centre provides medical services following a sexual assault as well as counselling and runs a help line for the province.
“Just the support that we're getting from people coming this evening will really help our organizations continue to do the important work that we do,” said the centre’s director Debbie Trent.
One concert goer has herself been the victim of a sexual assault, and she says events like this are important.
“We need more people to see that it is safe to speak out and that there is an incredible support system behind you to help you through it,” she said.
The evening was in part to mark the 25th anniversary of the murder of 14 women at the Ecole Polytechnique, and to say women will not be silenced.
“We've found our voices, we are going to shout, we're going to scream, we want change and we're not going shut up,” Montgomery said, adding next year’s federal election will be the perfect opportunity to press for chance.
“I think we have to put the politicians feet to the fire and say what are you going to do about violence against women?”
