The first step in addressing the issue of gendered violence is to create spaces for open conversation. CREDIT: PEXELS

EMILY BRAY

Dec. 6 marks the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada. With rates of violence against women and girls on the rise as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the day and its underlying messaging are just as important as ever this year.

The National Day of Remembrance and Action was created in 1991 as a way to pay respect to the victims of the École Polytechnique massacre, which took place on Dec. 6, 1989.

This deadly shooting claimed the lives of 14 women and injured many more at the École Polytechnique engineering school campus in Montreal, Quebec. The shooter specifically targeted female students, stating that he was “fighting feminism,” which he believed had ruined his life.

The event has since become symbolic of the broader prevalence of violence against women and girls. Thus, Dec. 6 is a time for communities to come together to remember those who have been affected, and to pledge to do better in the future.

Although Canada has seen few gender-based crimes as lethal as the Polytechnique shooting in 1989, violence against women and girls still permeates our society at every level.

According to a 2019 Statistics Canada report, women in the general population are violently victimized at a rate nearly double that of men, and are five times as likely to become victims of sexual assault. For Indigenous women, women living in rural areas, and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, these rates of violence are even higher.

Yet since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, these numbers have only risen further.

According to Jensen Williams, public educator for Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis (GWWIC), the pandemic has exacerbated many of the existing challenges faced by women in the Guelph community.

“Pandemic isolation has increased the severity of violence for many women,” Williams said. “We’ve seen an uptick in our crisis calls at GWWIC. And there have been statistics that have shown that deaths related to gender-based violence have increased in 2020 compared to 2019. There has been a noticeable increase in the lethality of these crimes.”

Williams cites widespread job losses, food insecurity, and the current housing crisis as factors that have contributed to this rise in violence.

“The pandemic has heightened what it means to be in crisis,” they said.

Although news like this can make the fight against gendered violence feel hopeless, Williams stresses the importance of open dialogue and education as tools to combat the mistreatment of women and girls.

“The first step is to have open conversations and to be able to facilitate dialogue around experiences with sexualized violence, whether that be through town halls or surveys. Having that open mechanism where people feel safe to share their experiences is important.”

In the context of university campuses specifically, Williams encourages the implementation of mandatory courses that address things like bystander intervention training and discussions about consent. They believe that this type of education must be readily available and accessible, and that students should play an active role in helping design what this education looks like, so as to ensure that it addresses the issues that affect them most.

As for what we can do as individuals, opening up informal conversations with those around us about sexual violence is a great starting point. Williams also recommends becoming more involved with community efforts to combat violence.

“You can attend events in the community that are raising awareness, such as Take Back the Night, and volunteer your time, whether that be on campus with Student Life efforts to mobilize around sexual violence, or in the Guelph community with GWWIC.”

Ultimately, it’s about dedicating your time to learning about these issues and seeing yourself as part of the solution. Solidarity and cooperation are our most useful tools when it comes to creating meaningful and lasting change.

“Communities and students all need to work together,” Williams said. “It isn't just the job of gender-based violence organizations to be leaders in this work. We need everyone to join us and to work together, because we know that this can’t be done alone.”

This Dec. 6, GWWIC will be holding an in-person vigil at 6:30 p.m. in Marianne’s Park to pay respects to those who have lost their lives to gendered violence. All are welcome to attend. For more information, visit gwwomenincrisis. org/event/december-6th-femicide-vigil/.

• For emergency support, you can dial the Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis 24-hour crisis line at 1-800-265-SAFE (7233).

• For on-campus support, the University of Guelph’s Sexual Violence Support Office is open to students from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is located in the J.T. Powell Building at 168 Reynolds Walk. If you would prefer not to go in person, you can also refer yourself or a friend to the Sexual Violence Support and Education Coordinator by emailing svinfo@uoguelph.ca.

• On-campus mental health counselling services are available through Student Life. Enter this web address: wellness.uoguelph.ca/counselling to browse different programs and book an appointment.

If you are interested in learning more about how to support survivors, the University of Guelph provides free sexual violence support training for students, staff, and faculty. Visit https://wellness.uoguelph.ca/sexual-violence-support-centre/trainings to learn more.