Image Credit: Government of Canada

By Adam Donnelly

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Kamloops advocacy groups speak out against gender-based violence

Nov 26, 2019 | 5:01 PM

KAMLOOPS — Gender-based violence is an epidemic throughout communities all over the world. From November 25 to December 10, there’s an international campaign called the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. The campaign is meant to unite communities to end the violence directed at people because of their gender.

On December 6th,1989, a man entered Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal and executed 14 women. His reason? He claimed he was fighting feminism. Thirty years later, Canadians will commemorate that massacre as part of the 16 days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.

“When somebody hears gender-based violence, or domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, the first thought we have is it’s a physical assault,” Barb Gladdish, Agency Coordinator at the Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Centre (KSACC) explains. “Violence is far more reaching than that and far more inclusive.”

In our city, the KSACC has partnered with the local Elizabeth Fry Society to host a panel discussion on Friday night to address gender-based violence in the workplace.

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Image Credit: Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Centre

“I think lots of us women have experienced workplace violence,” Cassandra Schwarz, Executive Director of the Kamloops and District Elizabeth Fry Society, tells CFJC Today. “I think what that actually looks like is not delved into that much.”

From a sexist joke to unwanted physical contact, there’s a broad spectrum of behaviour classified as violence, which is experienced across many workplace relationships.

“That can be in the form of verbal conversations, it can be harassment or bullying,” Schwarz explains. “That’s what the panel discussion on Friday is really to delve into: what [gender-based violence] can look like.”

“In the workplace, it could mean making work very challenging for one of your coworkers,” Gladdish says. “It doesn’t have to be from a boss to an employee; it can be lateral violence as well.”

While still prevalent, Gladdish believes better understanding is one of the keys to lessening or even ending gender-based violence.

“Bringing attention to it, bringing awareness to it. Identifying what gender-based violence can potentially look like is one of the first steps in being able to end gender-based violence,” Gladdish says.

The panel takes place Friday, November 29, at St. Andrew’s on the Square from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. For more information on the 16 Days of Activism, you can visit cfc-swc.gc.ca.