November is recognized globally as The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. “The UN System together with UN Women is joining hands with survivors, activists, decision-makers, and people from every walk of life, to shine a light on the need for funding, essential services, prevention and data that shapes better-informed responses.”
Please join us in standing shoulder to shoulder with women throughout the world, to end violence against women in all its forms.
“Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.”
“In general terms, it manifests itself in physical, sexual and psychological forms, encompassing:
intimate partner violence (battering, psychological abuse, marital rape, femicide);
sexual violence and harassment (rape, forced sexual acts, unwanted sexual advances, child sexual abuse, forced marriage, street harassment, stalking, cyber- harassment);
human trafficking (slavery, sexual exploitation);
female genital mutilation; and
child marriage.
“To further clarify, the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women issued by the UN General Assembly in 1993, defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.”
While gender-based violence can happen to anyone, anywhere, some women and girls are particularly vulnerable - for instance, young girls and older women, women who identify as lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex, migrants and refugees, indigenous women and ethnic minorities, or women and girls living with HIV and disabilities, and those living through humanitarian crises.” UNWomen
Take Action!
November 25th is also the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. To help you to take action we are sharing the following Action Steps from the Ontario Association of Interval & Transition Houses.
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 2021 Wrapped in Courage Proclamation and learn more.
Use the Wrapped in Courage social media frame during Woman Abuse Prevention Month this November.
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.
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! https://bit.ly/NFFtips
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/)
