Red Dress Day memorial held at Hamilton Native Women’s Centre to honour victims

Red dresses were on display across Canada today as Indigenous people and supporters gathered to raise awareness about the disproportionate violence facing their communities.

In Hamilton, a memorial held at the Hamilton Native Women’s Centre honored victims and issued a call for vigilance to prevent further tragedies. 

The ceremony included speeches, testimonials and the symbolic red dresses—an aesthetic response first inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black in 2010 to highlight the need for justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people.

“Indigenous women and girls remain disproportionately impacted by violence, and far too many cases remain unsolved,” said Danielle Ridge, Executive Director of the Hamilton Native Women’s Centre.

According to data from the Government of Canada and the Assembly of First Nations, Indigenous women account for 16 per cent of all female homicide victims and are 12 times more likely to be murdered or go missing than non-Indigenous women.

Despite these figures, an Indigenous watchdog tracking the federal government’s progress tied to the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Report says Ottawa has enacted only 14 of the 94 calls to action.

“We’re not close to enacting most of those recommendations that are in place,” said Jessica Bonilla-Damptey, Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton. “Those recommendations are a tool that tells us what it is we need to do as institutions, as organizations, as non-profit organizations, as individuals and communities. That’s the change that we need.”

While measures such as the appointment of an Indigenous Languages Commissioner and the establishment of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation have been completed, the watchdog reports that critical calls to action regarding child welfare, healthcare and education remain unfulfilled.

Ridge emphasized the importance of local advocacy in driving those larger systemic changes.

“It’s important to hold events like this in Hamilton to bring awareness to our community, to work together as a community,” Ridge said. “And to bring forward new ideas and new innovations so that we can meet the needs of our community.”

WATCH MORE: Burlington women found guilty of killing 12-year-old boy, confining younger brother