Lit by the flickering of flameless candles, residents gathered Sunday for the eighth annual local candlelight vigil to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Langley's Ishtar Transition Housing Society hosted the event in McBurney Lane.

Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender said key is educating children that violence - words and deeds - is wrong.

"We need to teach them that those kinds of attitudes and actions are not acceptable," Fassbender said. "Violence of any sort is not acceptable."

Diane Warawa spoke on behalf of her husband, Langley MP Mark Warawa who was flying back to Ottawa. The MP has a motion before the House of Commons calling for Canada to outlaw in vitro sex selection. Some people abort female fetuses in preference for sons, something Diane Warawa called a form of violence against females.

Councillor Grant Ward brought words of support from Township council and thanks to Ishtar for its work over many years to reduce violence in the community.

RCMP Supt. Derek Cooke noted that when he started in policing 30 years ago, there was little understanding about domestic violence.

"A domestic violence unit was unheard of," he noted. Society and the court system have undergone tremendous change but there is still work to do, he said.

"This is a gender issue around the world," Cooke said.

hcolpitts@langleyadvance.com