Why is it urgent for everyone to address gender-based violence?
Approximately every six days, a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner.
Violence against women costs Canadians $7.4 billion to deal with the aftermath of spousal violence alone.
Children who witness violence in the home have twice the rate of psychiatric disorders as children from non-violent homes.
Each December 6th, The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women, we come together to commemorate this national tragedy that happened over 30 years ago at École Polytechnique de Montréal. We also reflect on the troubling fact that gender-based violence continues to be a daily reality.
Gender-based violence rates were already at an all-time high, statistics have proven that COVID 19 has led to a dramatic increase.
We recognize that rates of violence are disproportionately higher when it comes to women of color, Indigenous women and girls, women with disabilities and women from LGBT2Q + communities.
This violence often has impacts on their physical, sexual and reproductive health. They may experience mental health issues and a reduced ability to participate in social and economic activities, leaving gaps in our workplaces and in our communities.
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women takes place on December 6 which falls within November 25 and December 10, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. Now, more than ever we call on you to participate in our #CEIU16Days of activism. Gender-Based Violence impacts everyone and we all have a role to play in fighting against Gender-Based Violence and taking meaningful action to ensure that tragedies that happen daily, tragedies like l'École Polytechnique de Montréal never happen again.
It is through our activism that we are able to demand action from the government and we must continue to organize to put an end to gender-based violence.
While this is a time for remembering the lives lost to violence, it is also a time to act.
Please share this message widely, visit our website https://www.ceiu-seic.ca/CEIU16daysofactivism and encourage everyone to take action to stop gender-based violence against women.
In Solidarity
The CEIU National Women’s Committee
| Download the PDF here! | |
| Day one | Choose to be an ALLY! |
| Day two | Read the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence |
| Day three | Listen and learn from the lived experiences of others and support survivors of violence |
| Day Four | Read the UNiTE Campaign to End Violence Against Women and Girls |
| Day Five | Familiarize yourself with your workplace harassment and violence policies |
| Day Six | Participate in the White Ribbon Campaign |
| Day Seven | Watch the film POLYTECHNIQUE |
| Day Eight | Ask for domestic violence training in your workplace from your CEIU Regional Women’s Committee |
| Day Nine | Speak out and add your voice to call out violence when you see it |
| Day Ten | Lobby your political representative for increased funding for women’s organizations |
| Day Eleven | Post something on social media in support of bringing and end gender-based violence |
| Day Twelve | Attend a vigil for the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women |
| Day Thirteen |
Donate to a local women's shelter and encourage others to do the same |
| Day Fourteen | Safely intervene by knowing the Signal for Help |
| Day Fifteen | Give your time to organizations working to end gender-based violence |
| Day Sixteen | HUMAN RIGHTS DAY Commit to joining the fight for equality! |