16 Days of Activism is an annual international campaign that starts on November 25^th (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) and runs until December 10^th (World Human Rights Day). In Canada, we also observe December 6^th during this period to remember and honour the fourteen women of the 1989 Montreal Massacre at École Polytechnique whose lives were lost due to misogyny and gender-based violence.

The theme of this year’s 16 Days of Activism is “From Awareness to Accountability” and this theme feels particularly close home to us here at WAVAW. It has been 30 years since the Montreal Massacre, 5 years since Isla Vista Massacre, and 2 years since the explosion of the #MeToo movement. Despite the increased awareness of gender-based violence, Indigenous women, girls, Two Spirit, queer, and trans people continue to go missing and trans women, particularly trans women of colour sex workers, experience disproportionately high rates of violence and murder. Gender-based violence continues to occur in mass numbers and is an ongoing reality across all communities.

For WAVAW, it has been over two years since we embarked on our Inclusion Project, expanding our mandate from serving cis and trans women to women, trans, Two Spirit, non-binary, and gender diverse survivors. Last year, we published an apology letter to the sex worker community for the harm we have caused with our 2008 positional paper and previous stance; which failed to recognize the the resilience, agency and autonmy of sex workers. Each time, it was our community members who brought to our awareness and attention that we needed to change and be accountable to the communities that we serve.

Taking actions is what moves us from awareness to accountability. This year, we would like to share ten ways you can concretely support survivors of sexualized violence and call on your community to show up and take collective accountability in ending all forms of gender-based violence.

1. Join us at WAVAW’s December 6^th event to observe the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women and commemorate people of marginalized genders who have lost their lives to gender-based violence. The event will be held at 312 Main from 6-8pm. Bring an umbrella for new pairs of socks to be donated to WISH Drop-in Centre as admission. To RSVP, click here.

2. Support Butterflies in Spirit by attending their International Fundraiser for Mexico on December 1^st. Founded in 2012 by Lorelei Williams, Butterflies in Spirit is a dance group consisting of family members of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and their mission is to raise awareness of violence against Indigenous women and girls. Butterflies in Spirit will be performing at WAVAW’s December 6^th event.

3. Download Demand Action Now App to call upon your government to fund emergency sexual assault services in your city today. Demand Action Now sends postcards to decision makers and call them to action. Survivors of sexualized violence in every city should have access to trauma-informed, integrated emergency sexual assault services and that means organizations like WAVAW and Victoria Sexual Assault Centre need ongoing and reliable provincial funding. Spread the word about the App and ask people in your life to download it in support and solidarity.

4. Donate to WAVAW in the name of a survivor or someone you want to remember and honour. Your donations will go directly to providing free-of-charge support services to survivors of sexualized violence and providing critical sexualized violence education in the community.

5. Read Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and find ways to implement the calls to action in your life, community, school, or workplace. You can download the report here.

6. Donate your gently used clothing to WAVAW’s clothing sale which will be held in the New Year! The items not sold at the event will be donated to sex worker organizations. To organize a drop-off, please email us at admin@salalsvsc.ca.

   

7. Apply to volunteer at WAVAW today! The next Volunteer Training will begin on Tuesday, January 14^th, 2020. The deadline for applications is December 9^th, 2019.

8. Attend the Full Pint Comedy Giving Tuesday show on Tuesday, December 3^rd 9:00-10:30pm. The proceeds from the show will go toward support WAVAW and the survivors we serve. You can find more details here.

9. Share WAVAW’s apology letter to the sex worker community and encourage other community organizations to also publicly support the decriminalization of sex work.

10. Invite five people in your life to like WAVAW’s Facebook Page or sign up for our newsletter.

We hope you are feeling inspired to take actions throughout the 16 Days of Activism! Our work of supporting survivors and shifting society is made possible because of the support of our community and our enduring collective calls to action.

Together, we are powerful and make the world free from sexualized violence a possibility. Thank you.