Violence Prevention Grey Bruce is looking to create more conversations regarding domestic violence as the 30th anniversary of the Ecole Polytechnique massacre approaches.

Coordinator Jon Farmer has asked Bruce County council to lower its flags to half staff on December 6, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

Farmer told council domestic violence remains a significant issue in the region, and pointed to statistics compiled by the committee over a six-month period in 2018.

“Over the course of those six months, police services [in Grey-Bruce] responded to almost two calls per day related to domestic violence, and the violence against women shelters [in Kincardine & Owen Sound] received 26 calls per day, folks reaching out for support,” said Farmer.

The committee will be launching a contest in local schools, encouraging students to create visual art depicting healthy and unhealthy relationships, which will be shared on social media, in hopes of jumpstarting the conversation surrounding domestic violence.

Farmer added the request is part of the 16 Days of Activism planned by Violence Prevention Grey Bruce, starting on November 25, and culminating on December 10.