Reflecting on Gender-Based Violence for National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women 2020

By Jana Ali and Executive Members of the Women Empowering Women Student Group

Editor’s note: December 6, 2020 is the 31st anniversary of the 14 women who were murdered at the École Polytechnique de Montréal. Designated the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, it has become a time to remember not only the victims, but the many other women whose lives have been lost as a result of violence — and to take a stand against gender-based violence.

This year has been like no other. While countries around the world implemented lockdown measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, violence against women sky-rocketed. As we mourn the tragic loss of women one after another, we also reaffirm our commitment to fighting misogyny and gendered violence against women everywhere.

For many women like myself, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is just one of many days we remember those who have experienced gender-based violence (GBV). It is our everyday reality. December 6, 2020 marks the 31st anniversary of the Ecole Polytechnique Massacre, where 14 women were murdered in the name of “fighting feminism.” Last year, the University of Alberta held a memorial on campus where women shared their thoughts on the importance of recognizing this day. This year, because of the pandemic, things are looking a bit different. This year, the university community is invited to a commemoration event online on Friday, December 4 from noon to 1:00 pm.

On November 25, 2020, our team collaborated with UBC Women Empowerment Club to host a webinar for the International Day of Prevention of Violence Against Women. This seminar emphasized how prevalent violence is in the world, including our campus community. Many of us have been personally affected by or know someone who has been affected by gender-based violence. For that reason, we hosted this seminar with the intention of creating a safe space to discuss two prevalent forms of abuse: sexual and domestic abuse as they pertain to women and what we can do to support survivors. We invited three speakers: Katrina Rempel (They/Them or She/Her) from the U of A Sexual Assault Center, Majeda Tarrabain (She/Her) from Nisa Homes, and Reine Mukazayire (She/Her) from the UBC AMS Sexual Assault Support Center. The speakers highlighted the importance of working together to create a community free of all sorts of violence against women through an emphasis on community, advocacy, and believing and supporting survivors.

“Discussions regarding the prevention of violence are essential in fully understanding and approaching the issue with an open mind. Through such discussions, the goal is to create a world where women do not feel isolated and are able to overcome the gender barriers together in order to achieve their goals freely, and without fear.”

At Women Empowering Women (WEW), our team is committed to working together to prevent and address GBV through spreading education and awareness about the systems that perpetuate any type of violence against women.

“These events, both at the national and international level, serve to remind people of the human rights that are violated due to the patriarchal structure embedded within society. It is also a day to amplify the voices of victims and encourage literacy on the topic. This annual reminder is a day to help us remember that violence occurs on a daily basis even if it’s not plastered all over the media. Acknowledging that it is a huge problem in our society promotes further education on the subject matter and helps us create and enforce change.”

WEW is committed to using intersectionality as a framework to understand how the prevention of violence against women is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Rather, it is a deliberative and conscious effort to protect our sisters around the globe.

“Intersectionality is critical when thinking of the prevention of violence against women. While all women are at risk for violence, some groups of women are more vulnerable than others. Understanding intersectionality and how it involves the interconnectedness of social identities in shaping individual experiences helps to explain this. When sexism interacts with systems such as racism, ableism, heterosexism, and others, higher rates of violence are often a result. Because of this, women of colour, members of the LGBTQ2S+ community, and women living with disabilities are more likely to experience gender-based violence.”

When we commit to preventing GBV, we are committing to understanding how:

“Oppression is rooted in the foundation of our society, blood and broken backs is what we have built upon, and though it’ll take generations to undo and reconcile its consequences (as Gen X/Millenials and beyond have been doing), there is no place for denial in this battle.”

One of the projects that came out of this event was the compilation of a resource hub for sexual violence and domestic abuse that our team compiled for the Edmonton and Vancouver areas which you can access here.

And of course, we cannot forget our missing and murdered Indigenous sisters. The criminal justice system, police, and media have failed to adequately respond to, provide for, report on, and protect the needs of indigenous women and girls. Indigenous women and girls are overrepresented as victims of femicide in Canada, despite only making up 4% of Canada’s total female population. This is a systematic and national crisis that requires our urgent, informed and immediate action and here is how you can help the movement today.

Finally, today we are recognizing that women are not a monolith — we are stars, a constellation, and a universe in itself.

A very special thank you to the Women Empowering Women team who contributed ideas and all the quotes added in this blog about what prevention of violence against women means to them and how intersectionality frames their opinions on this issue: Jana Ali, Hameedah Baruwa, Laila Elhenawy, Ipinu Fatokun, Sarah Kenyon, Umaima Mirza, Yeganeh Molazem, Allie Pedros, Laeba Rehman, and many others who wish to remain anonymous.

Learn more about the U of A student group Women Empowering Women by visiting their blog or Instagram.