Fighting gender-based violence

A local virtual forum on violence against women focused on the need for more action against the gender-based violence and the gaps in service to deal with it.

The forum, held on Wednesday, is part of a campaign called the Orange Campaign, an annual United Nations project to encourage action to eliminate violence against women and girls.

The idea is to create a strategic plan on how to move forward the issue of violence against women and children in Quinte area communities.

Representatives from GRANquinte (the local branch of Grandmothers Advocacy), United Nations Immigration Services, Community Advocacy and Legal Clinic, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, Three Oaks Foundation and the Ontario Provincial Police all discussed the gaps in service for women who are victims of gender-based violence.

OPP Detective Staff Sergeant Jennifer Patton pointed to trafficking in women in this area and the measures police take in helping victims of domestic abuse.

She urged men to step up and help.

“I challenge any men. We need you to go back to men groups and help them be advocates for women.”

She added, “We’ve had training across the province to help officers understand how a traumatic event happens and impacts the victim of crime and how that can affect the person’s behaviour.”

“The goal is working together as community partners to improve public education of and service delivery to victims of human trafficking which has another layer of challenge with than regular victims.”

Patton emphasized there are multiple incidents of human trafficking of women in the Quinte area.

She added, “We need more funding for women’s shelters. We need a long term residential home for human trafficking victims in our area.”

Members of the panel pointed to issues of sexual abuse in the work place.

Deirdre McDade of the Community Advocacy and Legal Clinic said 30% of people who suffer sexual harassment on the job are afraid to report it because they fear losing their job.

“In some work places such as bars and restaurants sexual harassment has become normalized so that workers think it’s just part of the job.”

McDade continued, “In the service industry the employer has responsibility to make sure the workplace is free from harassment.”

“There is a need to prevent and eliminate sexual harassment in workplace,” she added.

Catherine Fisher Andrews of Quinte Immigration Services pointed to the incidence of some immigrants who are concerned they will lose out on their permanent residence status if they don’t stay for two full years with an abusive spouse, so they can prove the relationship.

Many on the panel indicated shock when Sandy Watson-Moyles of Three Oaks Foundation said the shelter had only one staff person.

Moderator Dr. Aruna Alexander, of the United Nations Association Quinte,outlined for Quinte News these outcomes from the forum:

1. We would honor the principle of transparency by collating the questions and comments received, then share them with all who registered.

2. We would attempt to share answers to as many questions as possible, with the assistance of our panelists.

3. From the feedback received throughout the webinar, we will create a strategic plan on how to move the issue of violence against women and children in our communities, forward.

4. We would send out a resource/contact list to all registrants.