COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO LAUNCH 10 DAYS OF RESILENCE
EVENTS
According to Stats Canada 2013, Guelph is
one of the safest cities in Ontario. Despite being what many people would deem
a safe city, gender-based violence still happens here. That is why some community
organizations have decided to collaborate to bring 10 Days of awareness,
celebration, action, and change this fall from September 25th to
October 4th. While much of
the focus of the 10 Days is around raising awareness of gender-based violence,
the group also wants to try and create more room for discussions around the
ways queer and trans folks experience violence, as well as celebrate the
resilience within these communities.
Because violence in our community affects
everyone, the 10 Days group wanted to provide lots of different opportunities
for people to get involved, says Jessica St. Peter, the Public Educator from
Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis; “People can connect with equality in various
ways and sometimes certain events limit people’s participation but by expanding
the opportunities for people to be engaged and informed we can have a greater
impact in our community”.
Experiencing violence has negative impacts
on people’s health as well and can put them at a greater risk of HIV says
Olivia Kijewski, the Women’s Community Development Coordinator at HIV/AIDS
Resources & Community Health. “It’s important that we work together to challenge
violence and its detrimental effects on our community”, says Kijewski.
Some of the multiple organizations working
together on the 10 Days include: the Guelph Resource Centre for Gender
Empowerment and Diversity (GRCGED), Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis, HIV/AIDS
Resources & Community Health (ARCH), the Ontario Public Interest Research
Group (OPIRG), SlutWalk Guelph, and the Wellness Education Centre.
The week will kick off on Thursday
September 25th at 6:30 pm in Marianne’s Park for the 27th
Annual Take Back the Night march and rally to raise awareness about and end sexual
violence against women and girls. Other
events during the 10 Days include: A workshop for young girls on bullying &
self-esteem, Wen-do self-identified women’s self-defense training, service
provider training on Anti-Oppressive Practice Approaches to Women’s Health, a
sex Toy Workshop, trivia night at the Jimmy Jazz, an LGBTQ+ discussion group on
Queer responses to violence, a documentary screening of “Jasad and the Queen of
Contradictions”, an information
sharing and discussion of ARCH’s sex worker needs assessment, as well as a
workshop on consent by Karen B.K. Chan. The 10 Days will conclude with the 2nd
annual SlutWalk Guelph march at beginning at 1 pm at the Market Square, City
Hall. SlutWalk Guelph is a movement that works to challenge victim blaming,
slut-shaming, and sexual assault, stating that those who experience sexual
assault are never at fault.
For more information regarding any of these
events visit www.gwwomenincrisis.org/
or contact wiceducator@gwwomenincrisis.org for details.
Jessica St. Peter
Public Educator
Guelph-Wellington Women in
Crisis
