Blog

WAVAW is Moving

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, July 20th, 2022 WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre has Accepted a Nominal Lease from the City of Vancouver and will be Moving to a Confidential Downtown Location in Early 2023 (Vancouver, BC) — WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre has accepted a nominal lease from the City of Vancouver, and will be operating alongside […]

What WAVAW Accomplished in 2021

Like so many of you, we’ve been reflecting on 2021 and celebrating all the things that we have accomplished this year! While this year has not been short on it’s challenges (we’re looking at you, COVID), we managed to achieve new milestones, introduce new programming to WAVAW’s wrap-around delivery service, and continue to inspire the […]

Embracing Anger

Post by Rebecca, WAVAW Relief Staff Let me know if you’ve heard this before: “Anger is toxic.” “You’d be prettier if you smiled.” “It’s not ladylike to be cross.” “Don’t be a bitch.” From the time we’re young, women and girls are told not to be angry, to be nice, to smile. But we have […]

Moving Women

At WAVAW, we love hearing about and connecting with local businesses who integrate a feminist or anti-oppressive philosophy and practice in the service of building a society where all women are free from violence. These relationships and contributions to anti-violence and woman-valuing work are essential and appreciated! Guest post by Nicole Pichette Sexualized violence undoubtedly […]

Survivors and Suicide: Understanding that the Culture of Violence Kills

Guest post by Judith Randall In collaboration with WAVAW There is a red ESCAPE button, and below, instructions that read:  Click the button above to immediately leave this site if your abuser may see you reading it. This warning appears on the United States Department of Health and Human Services website, in a section called […]

One of my favourite websites for thoughtful reads: Autostraddle.com

      Guest post by Amy M., WAVAW Volunteer Autostraddle describes itself as “… a progressively feminist online community for a new generation of kickass lesbian, bisexual & otherwise inclined ladies (and their friends),” and it is one of my favourite things on the internet!  It’s a mix of politics, advice, pop culture and […]

Beyond Consent

Guest post by Pragya S, WAVAW Relief Staff Yes means yes.  Consent is sexy.  Don’t be that guy. It seems that, lately, whenever talk of sexualized violence comes up, we turn to consent. In many ways, this makes sense.  In Canada, our Criminal Code defines sexual assault as any type of sexual contact without voluntary […]

How Do You Feel About the Gov’t Asking The Public How They Should Listen to Women?

By Dalya Israel, WAVAW’s Victim Services Coordinator On January 21, 2013 the BC Government launched an online public consultation questionnaire where the public is asked to make suggestions on how to stop domestic violence. Since we haven’t been able to integrate and enact any of the recommendations put forth by the Standing Committee on the […]

Talking the Talk: Vancouver’s Homeless Count

by Lisa Wagner The City Council of Vancouver was to meet Tuesday to approve a series of increases to fines for 42 city bylaws, including those that allow for the ticketing of homeless people sleeping on the streets and residents involved in illegal street-vending. The maximum fine for the offenses has been increased to $10,000 […]

Naming Racism in the Media

As the Idle No More strengthens so do, unfortunately, the condescending and racist editorials in various newspapers. Disgusted by the pieces being published WAVAW has written two separate responses to the editors; they of course were not published. In response to the article “Attawapiskat chief is wrong to blackmail the PM.” Guest Editorial from The […]