Violence against women

For it's final report, the Committee shifted its focus from the aftermath of the violence against Aboriginal women - violent crime four times as often as non-aboriginal women - to empowering young Aboriginal girls and women, supporting their desire to strive for a better life of independence, confidence, influence and power, with the goal of reducing the victimization, poverty, prostitution and abuse experienced by Aboriginal women and girls.

An information package is intended for shelter workers working with women who are victims of intimate partner violence, to help create a stronger support network for women that are leaving abusive situation and for women that are facing unintended pregnancies.

Video on gender, sex and health research, with Harriet MacMillan, MD, MSc, FRCPC, speaking about Intimate Partner Violence. Dr. MacMillan is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University, and Chair of the Offord Centre for Child Studies. Produced on-site and in celebration of the first Canadian national conference in gender, sex and health research – Innovations in Gender, Sex and Health Research – hosted by CIHR-IGH in Toronto, Ontario, November 22 & 23, 2010.

An informative review of the current literature conducted for the Aboriginal Women’s Initiative focusing on the history and impact of abuse on Aboriginal women in the Sudbury area and highlighting needs and gaps. Provides background information including the history of Aboriginal women and the impact of colonization, examines the challenges for women who experience violence, mental health, addiction and homelessness, and reviews the literature on prevention of violence against Aboriginal women and shelters and services.

YWCA Canada’s Brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee in November 2011 Public Safety and National Security on Bill C-19.

Brief to the Standing Committee on the Status of Women: Study of the impact of social media and new communications technologies on violence against women and girls. Outlines why new and social media platforms are so attractive to women end users, how they present dangers and can contribute to violence against women in the digital sphere and real life, and the ways in which new and emerging platforms can offer digital spaces for intervention, violence prevention and community building.

An issue brief prepared by the White Ribbon Campaign for the Status of Women Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. Provides an overview of efforts to engage men of all ages in efforts to reduce and prevent gender-based violence in Canada and around the world. Starts from three basic premises: 1. Work with men and boys is necessary. 2. Work with men and boys can be effective. 3.  Work with men and boys can be positive.

Summarizes information gained through interviews with participating families about their missing or murdered loved ones, as well as demographic and statistical research. The interviews use a story telling methodology based on a life cycle approach to share the life stories of these Aboriginal women and girls. The investment of family members and NWAC staff in building authentic and sincere relationships adheres to the ethical requirements of conducting research in an Aboriginal context. The life stories are placed within the broader framework of other work conducted through the Sisters In Sprit initiative and serve to confirm conclusions based on other research, illustrate common themes, inform policy recommendations and identify future directions for further investigation.

The Sisters In Spirit initiative is a multi-year research, education and policy initiative funded by Status of Women Canada. The initiative is designed to address the disturbing numbers of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in Canada.