“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” Audre Lorde
November is recognized as Woman Abuse Awareness month in Ontario
“Violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world. Globally, almost one in three women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their life.”
“For at least 51,100 women in 2023, the cycle of gender-based violence ended with one final and brutal act—their murder by partners and family members.” UN Women
That means a woman was killed every 10 minutes.
The solution lies in prevention, awareness, education, holding perpetrators accountable, and accelerating action through well-resourced local, provincial and national strategies, including increased funding to women’s support services and agencies.
Globally, November 25th is recognized as The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It is a day for each of us to stand shoulder to shoulder with women throughout the world, to acknowledge the declaration that intimate partner violence is an epidemic and impacts our homes, schools, workplaces and communities.
While gender-based violence can happen to anyone, anywhere, some women and girls are particularly vulnerable - Young girls and older women, Black and racialized women, Indigenous women, and ethnic minorities, women who live with HIV and disabilities, women who identify as lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex, migrants and refugees.
Take Action!
November 25th is also the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. To help you to take action here are some ideas from the Ontario Association of Interval & Transition Houses (OAITH)
16 actions to end violence against women and prevent femicide
Attend a Wrapped in Courage flag raising in your community on November 25th, the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women: Flag Locations.
Wear a purple scarf this November as a signal of your support of GBV survivors and the agencies that provide them with vital support.
Reflect on one statement within the 2024 Wrapped in Courage Proclamation and learn more.
Post the “Wrapped in Courage” flag graphic on your social media pages with the hashtag #WrappedinCourage and a statement about your commitment to end gender-based violence.
Make an in-kind donation to your local VAW shelter.
Read ONWA’s report on reconciliation with Indigenous women and explore your own roles in addressing ongoing systemic racism and colonial violence. https://www.onwa.ca/reports
Contact your local MPP by phone or email and help bring awareness to the issue of gender-based violence within your community- https://www.ola.org/en/members/current/contact-information.
Check with your local media if they are aware of and committed to implementing OAITH’s Femicide Reporting Recommendations-https://www.oaith.ca/assets/library/OAITH-Femicide-Reporting-Recommendations.
Take the White Ribbon Pledge to show your commitment towards ending gender-based violence: www.whiteribbon.ca/pledge.html
Challenge harmful stereotypes and myths that perpetuate gender inequality and put women, girls and gender-diverse individuals at an increased risk for violence by engaging in educational discussion with family, peers and coworkers.
Attend your local shelter’s December 6th vigil to honour the 14 women who were murdered at L’ École Polytechnique in Montreal, because they were women. Dec. 6, 2024, 10:00 am HMS Room, Ajax Community Centre, Ajax, ON - Hosted by Herizon House Women’s Shelter
Get involved by volunteering at your local VAW shelter- find the one closest to you via: www.sheltersafe.ca
Take some training to learn what to say, what not to say, and how to safely support a friend or family member who may be experiencing gender-based violence. Contacting your local gender-based violence service via sheltersafe.ca and checking out the Neighbours, Friends and Families program is a great start: www.neighboursfriendsandfamilies.ca
Volunteer as a Safe Pet foster home to provide a safe home for companion animals and pets of survivors of gender-based violence to ensure the safety of their pet does not act as a barrier to escaping violence. https://safepet.ca/
Learn about consent and sexual violence rates in Ontario and get involved to support your local sexual assault centre (find your closest one via sexualassaultsupport.ca
Use social media to spread the threads of awareness with hashtags like #16Days and knowledge about resources like #Mulberryfinder
