I have been telling a story about gender-based violence. It comes in many forms, from physical, sexual, emotional abuse to threats and violence that ended the lives of the 14 women at L'Ecole Polytechnique and countless more.
As females, we are faced with gender-based violence from an early age. We are told that when a boy pulls our hair, calls us names or pushes us down in the playground, it's because, "he likes us." As we enter adolescence, we have conditioned ourselves to chase after men when they don't respond to our phone calls, texts, messages. We post racy pictures of our half-naked bodies to gain their attention. We blame ourselves when we are attacked.
There is also a certain level of complacency in our society, where "on-looker" culture has become the norm. These days, instead of intervening, people take out their phones and record. In the case of the murders at L'Ecole Polytechnique, there has been much criticism around why the men didn't take action and protect their female counterparts. René Jalbert, the unarmed war veteran, who talked the shooter, who killed three in a Parliament building in1984, into surrendering to police, told Maclean’s that it might also have been possible to cut short Lépine’s mindless rampage. Jalbert says that,“Somebody should have distracted the little bastard.”
Barb Peck, a counselor at the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre, came to speak at the Diversity Action Group's National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women event on-campus, December 6th. She said, "First we mourn and then we work for change." Many movements have made waves recently, notably the viral #MeToo movement on social media which has encouraged women to break the silence. But Peck says we need to move the story away from victims and onto what can we do for change?
This writer understands that change starts with acknowledgment, first we have to acknowledge that the Montreal Massacre, and others like it, are not isolated crimes against women but against feminism, against women who dare go where only men have gone before. We must realize that in this movement towards change we need to include men, demanding that they step forward and take responsibility, whether they think they are the good guy or not. A Call to Men, a violence prevention and male socialization group, is hoping the launch of its new campaign, #IWillSpeakUp, will help the cause. A Call to Men co-founder Ted Bunch said,"it's not just Hollywood. Viewing women as objects, property and having less value than men is something that all males have been taught, even by 'well-meaning men,' and we pass that on to our boys. So this has to become a men's issue, because men won't stop unless other men say so."
The solutions, especially to gender-based violence, exist. The UN advocates for establishing the acceptance of universal human rights and societal equality across genders, but also important is the education required to emphasize that violence against women and women-identified individuals is wrong. "Early intervention is crucial to prevent and stop the escalation of abuse," according to a 2014 action plan created by the UK government to end violence against women and girls.
Here are a few ideas on what YOU can do to take action on gender-based violence:
Familiarize yourself with the RRU Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy
Take the 16 Days of Activism pledge
Speak up about gender-based violence in your community
Encourage people who commit gender-based violence to get help
Make sure your home, workplace and community are safe for women and girls
Speak out against negative media images of women and girls
Donate your time and support organizations that work to end violence against women
The time for action is NOW. Gender-based violence affects everyone, so all people, regardless of their gender identity, race, color, religion or creed should be concerned about it. The change that we need to see, has to come from all of us; by taking steps in action and working together so that killings, like the Montreal Massacre, don't occur in the future. We must end gender-based violence - together, by building a strong, strategic movement of thoughtful, concerned citizens in support of gender equality.
