A Montreal shelter for abused women is using Halloween as a reminder that women are living in real horror in their homes.
The organization has combined traditional decorations with images of domestic violence.
As part of its "Windows on Horror" (Fenêtres sur l'horreur) campaign, La Maison Grise shelter placed black silhouettes depicting scenes of domestic violence throughout the city, to remind people that frightening scenes don't only happen in the movies.
"At Halloween, we talk about legends, we talk about imaginary monsters, but there are women and children for whom it is a daily reality to live with violence and terror," said Manon Monastesse, executive director of the Fédération des maisons d'hébergement pour femmes. "So it's a form of impact awareness."
While many people think that they are most at risk when they are alone in the dark, women are often at much greater risk at home when they are living in a climate of domestic violence, according to Monastesse.
"Especially in the case of sexual assaults, people think it's on the street, that it's strangers who assault, but 95 per cent of the time, it's people who are known," she added, noting that the same phenomenon is also observed for other types of violence against women and children.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 30, 2022.
