'Everyone deserves to be safe': purple chairs offer domestic violence support

Unveiling the purple chairs in St. Albert on Monday Nov. 4, 2024. (Evan Kenny/CTV News Edmonton)

The City of St. Albert unveiled two new seats in its river valley Monday that will give people a place to rest and get information on support for people suffering domestic violence.

On Oct. 19, 1990, Barbara Baillie of Nova Scotia was killed by her husband in an act of domestic violence.

In 2015, the first purple bench in the Barb's Bench Project was installed in Spryfield, where she lived.

"To some, park benches are simply a place to stop while on a walk, but to Barb they were a refuge from the abuse she endured from her husband and father of her five children," the Silent Witness organization wrote on its website.

"A comfortable bench in a peaceful public place offered physical rest, but also insurance that she would be safe in the line of sight of unknowing passers-by."

Since then, the benches and chairs have spread out from Nova Scotia and across the world.

The purple chairs in St. Albert have plaques with domestic violence support line phone numbers and a reminder that everyone can make a difference.

"We know that 80 per cent of people who experience family violence turn to friends and families for support," St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron said.

"Supporting people experiencing family abuse is one of the best ways to stop the cycle."

Last year in Alberta, a report from the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters showed that calls for help were at a 10-year high.

"These purple chairs are a reminder that everyone deserves to be safe, and each of us can help make that happen," Heron said.

The purple chairs in St. Albert are a result of a collaboration with the city and RCMP.