SURREY – The City of Surrey’s annual Rakhi Project banded together again this week to fight domestic abuse and build community awareness around the issue.
Thw 2014 Rakhi Project, a Crime Reduction Strategy initiative with a “freeze mob”, took place Monday at the New City hall. This unique public demonstration served to kick off an eight week awareness campaign designed to raise awareness about domestic abuse.
During the event at Surrey City Hall, freeze mob participants held signs reading “love & respect” or “take a stand” while posed in static postures, creating a buzz of interest on the issue.
“Domestic abuse is an issue that continues to have a devastating effect on families,” said Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts. “The Rakhi Project encourages a visible and unified approach to the issue and is part of a multi-faceted initiative undertaken by the City of Surrey to raise further awareness. Our goal is to create an environment where women feel safe to come forward and to encourage men to be an active part of the solution.”
”For four years, the Rakhi Project’s unique emphasis on shared respect for family values has brought attention to the urgent issue of domestic abuse in our communities,” said Councillor Barinder Rasode, Chair of the Community Safety Committee. “By wearing the purple bracelets on their wrists, brothers and men are vowing to take a stand with their sisters against domestic abuse.”
Rakhi is a special occasion observed in India which honours the relationship between brothers and sisters. It involves the tying of a rakhi (thread/bracelet) by a sister on her brother’s wrist as a symbol of the love and respect between them. Brothers wearing the Rakhi Project purple bracelet show that they stand with their sisters against domestic abuse.
As in past years, the project has partnered with local artist, Karen Lipsett-Kidd, who has created a new bracelet design that reflects the meaning of the project. Karen has helped develop a partnership with an organization in India called the Sambhali Trust, who has handcrafted this year’s bracelets.
The braided purple bracelets will be sold for $5 each with proceeds going to the City of Surrey’s Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (SCADA).
