November is Women Abuse Awareness Month in Ontario. Previously called Wife Assault Prevention Month, this month recognizes and highlights violence against women. Women’s rights are human rights, and this month is an opportunity to reflect and take action.
According to Statistics Canada,
-Every 6 days in Canada, a woman is killed by her intimate partner
-About 3000 women and 2500 children are living in an emergency shelter to escape domestic violence
-About 80% of sex trafficking victims are women and young girls
-As of 2010, there were 582 known cases of missing or murdered Aboriginal women and girls
-Half of all women have experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual violence by the age of 16.
Recently in our city, on October 23rd, Nighisti Semret was fatally stabbed in a back alley in Cabbagetown as she walked home from work. Nighisti came to Canada from Eritrea and she left behind four children in her native country. According to this story, police officers are still trying to uncover the motives for her murder. Her story matters because it is similar to the stories of so many women accessing our services. Upon arrival in Canada as a new immigrant, Nighisti faced homelessness and poverty, and ultimately violence. At Nellie’s we operate from an anti-racism and anti-oppression framework and believe that systemic racism, discrimination, and oppression based on race, class, sexual orientation, gender identification, age, and ability must be addressed as part of an integrated approach to addressing violence in the lives of women and children.
Several campaigns are occurring across the province and internationally this month to commemorate Woman Abuse Awareness Month that you can be a part of. They include the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, the White Ribbon Campaign, and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. At Nellie’s we will be launching our 2nd annual 16 Days to End Gender Violence Blog Series on November 25th. During this time we will be sharing stories, articles, and videos about the work we do at Nellie’s. If you’d like to subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss a post, you can do so at the bottom of the page.
During this month, and everyday of the year, here are some things you can do to help end violence against women:
-Refuse to remain silent when witnessing violent acts against women
-Speak up against racism, ableism, transphobia, anti-semitism, classis, ageism and heterosexism
-Do not judge any woman who decides to remain in an abusive situation, instead, offer assistance in any possible you can
-Participate in social justice activities in your community
Nellie’s is committed to continue advocating for women’s rights and to stand up against violence done to women. Please join us this month online via twitter and facebook as well as at events in the community to end violence against women!
