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However, as the statistics reveal it is crucial to identify the root causes of gender-based violence such as the inequality, biases, and discrimination that women face and take actions now to end them. — Larry Brown, NUPGE President.
Ottawa (02 Dec. 2021) On December 6, 1989, a male gunman opened fire in a classroom at the Montreal engineering school, specifically targeting women students in an anti-feminist attack. The École Polytechnique massacre is commemorated annually as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
This day of remembrance falls within the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence between November 25 and December 10. The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women. This year marks the 30th year of the campaign and the global theme is Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now.
Calling it what it is – Femicide
Femicide is defined as the killing of 1 or more women or girls because of their gender. The Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability (CFOJA) has documented the deaths of over 750 women and girls between 2016-2020. Most were killed by men who were close to them. This means that 1 woman or girl is killed every 2.5 days in Canada.
Gender inequality is a key contributor to violence against women and femicide. Women who are Black, Indigenous, or women of colour (BIPOC), living with disabilities, newcomers, or LGBTQ2S+ are at significantly higher risk of experiencing violence. Both because of their gender, and the racism and bigotry associated with ethnicity, gender identification, sexual orientation, and ability.
COVID-19 causing a pandemic within the pandemic
A new report by Oxfam, entitled The Ignored Pandemic: The Dual Crisis of Gender-based Violence and COVID-19, shows that globally there has been an increase in gender-based violence since the start of the pandemic. In Canada, the Assaulted Women’s helpline in Ontario, and the Battered Women’s Support Services Hotline in BC, both reported a 400% increase in April of 2020. The pandemic and the restrictions implemented to curtail the spread have led to social isolation, rising substance abuse, economic stress and mental health issues which have led to an increase in violence and the severity of the violence.
The CFOJA reported in a Globe and Mail article that 92 women were killed in the first 6 months of 2021 which is an increase 14 since 2020. “When there is a disaster, women are typically impacted more profoundly than men, materially speaking and in terms of experiences of violence. They are closely connected,” said Myrna Dawson, CFOJA Executive Director and an expert on domestic violence. “These impacts don’t stop as soon as a disaster is under control. They’re felt for decades. And so, I think there’s a real concern about what we’re going to do about that.”
Actions on root causes
“We are encouraged by the federal government’s emergency funding and its inclusion of $601.3 M over 5 years in the 2021 budget to work toward the national action plan to end violence against women. However, as the statistics reveal, it is crucial to identify the root causes of gender-based violence such as the inequality, biases, and discrimination that women face and take actions now to end them,” stated Larry Brown, NUPGE President.
“We must also engage men to take action against violence against women and girls. And we must educate boys as early as possible in our school systems that violence is wrong. Only by addressing the causes will we be able to end gender-based violence,” Brown concluded.