November is Woman Abuse Awareness Month. Woman abuse is not a women’s issue, it’s a human rights issue, and affects us all. Together we can work to end woman abuse, because we all have the right to feel safe and secure.
To raise awareness of the issue of violence against women, and in honour of Woman Abuse Prevention Month, staff at Women’s House wrote articles, which you will find below. Please take the time to read, reflect and consider the impact of violence against women in our own communities.
Donate to Women’s House Serving Bruce & Grey during the month of November through our Stay Safe WAAM event, and for every $20 donation, as a “thank you”, we’ll send you a specially designed mask to help you Stay Safe while you are joining us to work towards eliminating violence against women, and also helping the women we support to Stay Safe too.
We are required to fundraise $140,746 this year in order to fill the gap between our expenses and government funding so that we can continue to provide the necessary items and services to the women and children in need in our community.
You can make a donation directly through our Canada Helps page by clicking here
Ask yourself – what can I do to help prevent, and ultimately end, violence against women and children?
Educate yourself on violence against women; learn the facts and the prevalence
Believe survivors
Contact your local school board and ask them to address sexual harassment in schools
Speak out against all forms of violence
Question gender roles and assumptions
Respect and embrace diversity
Respect a person’s-even a child’s- right to say no
Respect your partner’s right to disagree or have their own opinion
Don’t blame victims, and reinforce that abuse is never the victim’s fault
Strive for equality for everyone
Learn about power and control tactics
Attend Take Back the Night events
Ask permission before pursuing physical or sexual contact with someone
Teach kids that respect is the minimum in a relationship, and lead by example
Advocate for victim’s rights
Teach kids that violence will not solve problems
Be courageous; don’t be afraid to speak up for those who have lost their voice or dignity
Praise women and girls for something other than the way they look
Applaud others who speak out against violence and oppression
Pledge to never commit or condone acts of violence
Make a decision to become an active bystander by speaking up and calling for help when necessary
Respect the choices victims and survivors make to survive
Empathize
Think globally and act locally
Hold perpetrators accountable for disrespecting their partners when you see it or hear it
Engage others in discussions about violence against women
