Calgary-based advocacy group raises awareness following attacks on women
Posted Apr 11, 2022 6:04 pm.
Last Updated Apr 11, 2022 6:18 pm.
Calgary has seen a string of violent attacks on women in recent weeks, prompting local advocacy group Pin Up Girl to take to the streets and make sure public spaces are safe for everyone.
The Calgary-based group handed out pins in Tomkins Park along 17th Avenue on Sunday. The pins are used as a visual cue to show that the wearer is available to help other women who may feel at risk in public.
Founder and Executive Director of Pin Up Girl, Steph Colangeli, says the random fatal attack on 30-year-old Vanessa Ladouceur highlighted the need for them to take action.
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“We were all in tears, and definitely upset, and instantly realized, we’ve got to get back out there,” Colangeli said.
According to Colangeli, having the pin become more visible in the community ensures women know they are in a safe place.
“People might not ever use our services,” Colangeli said. “But there is something about being a woman feeling out there, alone in the world, and being able to recognize a safe place you can go to if you’re in trouble.”
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Now that the stay-at-home order has been lifted, Colangeli says the group plans to be out in the community more often.
“It’s time,” Colangeli said. “We need to connect with our community, and clearly, we need to get more women wearing our pins so that we can all be safer.”
