December 6, 2009 - National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
Montreal, November 30th, 2009
A World Without Violence Starts With…?
On December 6, we commemorate the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The fact is that violence exists. Twenty years after the tragic deaths in Montreal, it is still a reality for our daughters, our mothers, our sisters, and our grandmothers. In our families and communities, violence is often so common that it is considered normal.
Yet, this is only part of the story. Girls and young women are not only experiencing violence, they are also doing something about it. They are courageous and resilient and they are responding to violence.
In Inuvik, where there is a high incidence of sexual assault, a simple and powerful workshop was created. “I and a volunteer at the elementary school started noticing a lot of stories about sexual violence in the community,” describes Joanna Lehrer. “We wondered how we could help prevent sexual assault and foster healthy relationships.” Local counsellors, volunteers, filmmakers, and youth centre staff collaborated on the project. A local girls’ group, Dreambuilders, made the compelling video used in the workshop that talks explicitly about sexual violence. The girls and adult facilitators present the workshop to Inuvik youth and travel to other communities throughout the Beaufort Delta Range, educating boys and girls about their rights.
The Just Girls group in Beamsville, Ontario, decided to do something about dating violence in their community. They organized an event on Valentine’s Day to raise awareness. “The community where this is taking place is a rural high school. There are limited local activities for youth and no public transportation,” describes coordinator, Paige Mowbray. “Little work is being done on dating violence in our community, which concerns the girls. They are extremely enthusiastic and their goal is to bring about awareness to other youth.” The Just Girls group set up an information booth at their school, providing resources and information (as well as Valentine’s treats). The girls also handed out a self-created bill of rights for dating relationships called, “If you want to be my Valentine...”
Women of Race Climbing it Together (WORC IT) is a girls’ group that empowers and educates young women in Toronto. “In our community, there is increased violence among youth. Young girls are exposed to this violence and are victims of it as well,” describes Natasha Burford, WORC IT founder. “Girls that have come out of our program are facilitating workshops on dating violence and starting their own projects. They are looking at themselves differently. Sometimes I get letters from their moms saying, ‘You don’t know how much you have changed my family.’ You know, not only are we affecting our daughters, we’re affecting our sons because they start to see their sisters differently.”
All-girls’ groups are one strong way to counter violence. By sharing their experiences and struggles, breaking their isolation, and learning from one another, girls feel connected and a part of something bigger than themselves. “Before I came here,” girls often say, “I thought I was the only one.” Girls’ groups and girls-only spaces offer an invaluable source of support and inspiration in every community.
Silence is a form of violence. An awareness of our tolerance of the violence in our communities, in our families, and on our televisions is an essential first step to challenging it. Naming violence is powerful and breaking the silence around violence is necessary.
Ending violence must include empowering young women. When we build girls’ positive sense of control and power, self-esteem and ability to advocate for herself, we lower her chances of experiencing violence. Doing this means using an approach that values each young women’s contribution and respects her experiences. It means finding solutions with girls and young women – and not for them.
Leaders of girls’ programs across Canada have found that some key actions can help reduce violence – and we can all take action:
1. Listen to girls and young women. Don’t blame them.
2. Understand that violence is rooted in discrimination, inequity, and isolation.
3. Be a voice. Make the realities of girls and violence visible.
4. Encourage discussion about responses to violence.
5. Support girls’- and-boys’-only violence prevention programs.
Watch the video : A young women is strong when....
Tatiana Fraser is Executive Director of Girls Action Foundation, a national charity that leads and seeds girls’ programs across Canada, reaching over 60,000 girls and young women.
