Women's Equality Branch
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All Issues | 2015 Issues

WOMEN FEMMES NB

IN THIS ISSUE:

Featured Article:
On Perilous Migrant Trail, Women Often Become Prey to Sexual Abuse  

Notices

Did You Know?

In the News:
    - Murdered women's inquiry must confront barriers indigenous women face in Canadian society
    - Nathalie Godbout's Letter on Domestic Violence Sparks Dialogue
    - What the Hashtag: 2015 in Review

Parting Thoughts

On Perilous Migrant Trail, Women Often Become Prey to Sexual Abuse

BERLIN — One Syrian woman who joined the stream of migrants to Germany was forced to pay down her husband’s debt to smugglers by making herself available for sex along the way. Another was beaten unconscious by a Hungarian prison guard after refusing his advances.

A third, a former makeup artist, dressed as a boy and stopped washing to ward off the men in her group of refugees. Now in an emergency shelter in Berlin, she still sleeps in her clothes and, like several women here, pushes a cupboard in front of her door at night.

“There is no lock or key or anything,” said Esraa al-Horani, the makeup artist and one of the few women here not afraid to give her name. She has been lucky, Ms. Horani said: “I’ve only been beaten and robbed.”

War and violence at home, exploitative smugglers and perilous seas along the way, an uncertain welcome and future on a foreign continent — these are some of the risks faced by tens of thousands of migrants who continue to make their way to Europe from the Middle East and beyond. But at each step of the way, the dangers are amplified for women.

Interviews with dozens of migrants, social workers and psychologists caring for traumatized new arrivals across Germany suggest that the current mass migration has been accompanied by a surge of violence against women. From forced marriages and sex trafficking to domestic abuse, women report violence from fellow refugees, smugglers, male family members and even European police officers. There are no reliable statistics for sexual and other abuse of female refugees.

Among the more than one million migrants who have entered Europe over the past year, fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and beyond, men outnumber women by more than three to one, United Nations statistics show. “The men dominate, numerically and otherwise,” says Heike Rabe, a gender expert at the German Institute for Human Rights.

Continued: http://nyti.ms/1l6Sf9U

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NOTICES

Canadian Teachers’ Federation Women’s Issues Symposium 2016: Social Justice Education at the Heart of Women’s Human Rights. February 28-March 1 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Registration Fee: $250 (includes evening reception, two lunches and the celebration dinner). Deadline to register : January 28.  Guest speakers include the Honourable Patricia A. Hajdu, Minister of Status of Women and many more. For more information and to register: http://bit.ly/1Sa1FhR

Canadian Women’s Foundation Annual Violence Prevention Grants 2016:  Approximately 40 grants are selected up to a maximum of $25,000 each.  If your organization and work fits the selection criteria, you may apply for additional funding of up to $3,000 to assist with access costs. The submission deadline is February 8 at 11:59 pm PST. Proposals submitted after this date will not be considered. For more information and to apply: http://canadianwomen.org/grants-vp16

On-line Survey: National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Indigenous families and communities, National Aboriginal Organizations, non-governmental and international organizations, have asked the Government of Canada to take action on the high number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and to call a national inquiry to end the violence. This survey is an opportunity to provide input and feedback on the development of a national inquiry as outlined in the Discussion Guide.  Please take the time to read the Discussion Guide before completing this survey. The survey should take roughly 10 minutes to complete. More information & survey can be found here: http://bit.ly/1Z4aqKO

Free Webinar:  Refugees and Trauma - Tips for Supporting. Refugee individuals and families carry with them vulnerability, potential trauma as well as strengths and stories of resilience.  This webinar explores trauma in relation to the refugee and migration experience.  Core needs are explored alongside areas of both vulnerability and transformative growth.  Tips applicable to a wide range of helpers are offered for supporting refugees and newcomers that enhance their capacities to be able to recover, adapt and flourish in the next phase of their lives. Watch Now / www.ctrinstitute.com

2016 Women & Wellness - a unique charity event that supports the important work of the Canadian Mental Health Association of New Brunswick (CMHA of NB).  Saturday, February 20, 7-10 pm, Fredericton Inn, 315 Regent Street. Activities will include a cocktail reception, door prizes, 50/50, raffle draw, and a silent auction. The guest speakers for the evening are Naomi Mahoney and Mary Ellen Landry. Reception starts at 6:30 pm and the event begins at 7:00 pm. Please be advised that this is a woman-focused event. To register: http://bit.ly/1QjLqwT

Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick (PLEIS-NB) is offering the following family law workshops in January and February from 6:30-8:30 pm:
·   Fredericton - January 28 - Preparing for a Family Court Hearing
·   Miramichi - January 28 - Changing a Child Support Order
·   Oromocto - February 24 - Doing Your Own Divorce at the Gagetown Military Family Resource Centre
·   Moncton - February 24 - Changing a Child Support Order at the Moncton Public Library
·   Bathurst - February 24 - Preparing for a Family Court Hearing at the Bathurst Youth Centre
·   Sussex - February 25 - Doing Your Own Divorce  at the Sussex Regional Library
·   Edmundston - February 25 - Modifier une ordonnance de pension alimentaire pour enfants at CCNB
To register, you must complete the on-line registration form or call the toll-free Family Law Information Line at: 1-888-236-2444.    

Support to Single Parents Programs, Moncton:
·    Self Esteem - Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 pm, starting February 3, $80.
·    Assertiveness - Mondays, 9:30-11:30 am, starting February 8, $60.
·    Finding the “You” After Separation - Wednesdays, 9:30-11:30 am, starting February 10, $60.
·    The Messages of Anger - Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30 am, starting February 16, $30.
·    Helping the Family Thrive After Separation - Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30 pm, starting February 23, $30.
No one will be refused service if they are unable to pay. Registration begins 3 weeks before start date. Call Nathalie at 506-858-1303 ext. 3301, Email: [email protected]
For more information on programs: www.supporttosingleparents.ca

Support to Single Parents – Annual Soupfest Fundraiser: Tuesday February 9, 2016 (snow date February 10).  $15 (in advance) $20 (at the door). Call Nathalie at 506-858-1303 ext. 3301, [email protected],  www.supporttosingleparents.ca

New online training offering an intro to domestic violence risk assessment, risk management & safety planning. Document, Monitor, Collaborate: A Primer on Domestic Violence Risk Assessment & Management offers an introduction to domestic violence risk assessment, risk management and safety planning for professionals in social work and social services, education, health, and union settings. This one hour course focuses on identifying warning signs and risk factors for domestic violence, having a conversation with a person you may be concerned about, and learning about when to reach out to other resources for collaboration and support. A certificate will be provided upon completion. http://bit.ly/23k6iLp

New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity, January 2016 Newsletter: http://bit.ly/23k6o5J

Current Opportunities to Serve on New Brunswick Agencies, Boards and Commissions (ABCs):   Qualified women and men having the highest personal and professional integrity are invited to serve on New Brunswick Agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs).  For more information, check out the following link:    ABC current opportunities

Voices of New Brunswick Women Consensus-Building Forum – Contact Us: Sartain MacDonald Building, 551 King Street, Suite 103, Fredericton NB E3B 1E7, T. 506.462.5179, 1-844-462-5179, F. 506.462.5069, E. [email protected], www.voixfemmesnb-voiceswomennb.ca.

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In the News:

Murdered women's inquiry must confront barriers indigenous women face in Canadian society

A chairwoman of Vancouver's annual memorial march for missing and murdered aboriginal women says she's concerned a national inquiry will leave out a crucial issue — feminism.

Fay Blaney, who co-chairs the February 14 Women's Memorial March Committee, said the starting point of an inquiry must be the barriers indigenous women face in Canadian society.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett is touring the country to meet with families, survivors and aboriginal representatives to hear what they want from an inquiry.

Blaney attended an all-day meeting in Vancouver last Wednesday and wants to meet with Bennett to discuss the inquiry's parameters.

"It needs to proceed from a feminist perspective. This is an issue of indigenous women's equality," she said. "I didn't hear that coming from them."

Her fears are part of a broader concern among front-line workers and advocacy groups that they are being shut out of the process. Blaney said the consultations appear to be focused on families, and while it's important for them to have a voice, they're only one perspective.

Unique stories
"Each one has a unique story to tell and it's instructive in terms of the data and information that comes from those stories, and it can lead to healing of the families involved," she said.

"But my position is that the women in the Downtown Eastside and other urban centres across this country are estranged from families."

Blaney's committee advocates year-round for women in the city's troubled Downtown Eastside and is one of several groups, including Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter, that have sent a letter to Bennett asking for a special meeting.

Rape Relief spokeswoman Hilla Kerner said approaching the inquiry using a feminist framework would mean examining the power relationships that have an impact on aboriginal women.

"Aboriginal women are vulnerable to male violence first and foremost because they are women, then because they are aboriginal, and then because they are poor," she said. "The intersection between colonialism and sexism plays a crucial role." (…)

Continued: http://bit.ly/23k6tqe

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Nathalie Godbout's Letter on Domestic Violence Sparks Dialogue

'I'm worried about you': Nathalie Godbout hopes letter reaches woman she encountered on New Year's Day.

A Saint John lawyer's account of witnessing intimate partner violence has struck a chord on social media.

Earlier this week, Nathalie Godbout wrote an open letter to a woman she encountered at a hotel in New Brunswick on New Year's Day.

As she and her family were packing to check out, they were alerted to yelling across the hall in Room 805.

"There were loud sounds and then muffled sounds, all telling for both a verbal and physical violence," Godbout wrote in her post on Facebook, which has been shared over 2,300 times.

"He was getting more and more agitated, and we quickly figured out that he was directing his rage at someone. At you."

Godbout says she ushered her children to another corner of her suite and called the front desk, instructing them to phone the police.

She was left speechless and shaken to learn police were not called. Instead "a boyish young manager" from the hotel appeared and knocked on the door of a neighbouring room where housekeeping was cleaning.

When the couple emerged, Godbout made eye contact with the woman for a brief moment, and asked if she was OK.

"I can only begin to imagine how you were feeling in that moment. Scared. Trapped. Exhausted from all the emotional blackmail you were enduring," Godbout wrote.

"I want you to know I saw you that day. You have not left my thoughts since. I'm worried about you, and I want to help in anyway I can."

Godbout set about writing her letter shortly after her return home when she had time to think about their chance meeting.

She said she was compelled to get out the message that intimate partner violence needs to be confronted. (…)

Continued: http://bit.ly/1OqlM8Y

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What the Hashtag: 2015 in Review

2015 was a year of progress on gender equality and women’s rights in Canada.

Inclusive Leadership
We voted for the #countrywewant and elected a record number of women in the federal election (#elxn42), ending the year with a gender-equal parliament and a feminist Prime Minister. While many tried to discredit this overdue move toward gender parity in government as affirmative action without merit, the women appointed as ministers are more than qualified.

For example, Canada's Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Jody Wilson-Raybould, is a lawyer, advocate and former Regional Chief of the BC Assembly of First Nations. Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Carolyn Bennett, was a family physician and former Minister of State for Public Health. Minister of Status of Women, Patty Hajdu, is an expert in harm prevention, addiction and homelessness, and the former head of Shelter House, Thunder Bay's largest homeless shelter. Minister of Democratic Institutions, Maryam Monsef, came to Canada as a refugee from Afghanistan and is now the fourth-youngest member of cabinet in Canadian history. Meanwhile, the Minister for Sport and Persons with Disabilities, Carla Qualtrough, is a Paralympian and lawyer.

This is what inclusive leadership looks like.

Girls Challenge Stereotypes and Sexualization

In 2015, we also heard from many girls that are finding their voice and taking on leadership roles in their communities. Girls across Canada are challenging discriminatory dress codes in schools and calling out the sexualization of girls, while taking on body-shaming bullies with confidence, cleverness and humour. Is it still an insult to do things #likeagirl? Not with these girls in charge.

Parents too raised concerns about the sexualization of girls with hashtags like #BoycottPartyCity and critiques of sexy Halloween costumes. As a result of public pressure, largely led by parents, toy and book stores began removing gender categories from their products on mass, and manufacturers started promoting new products that encourage girls to pursue their interest in #STEM and male-dominated industries. (…)

Continued: http://bit.ly/1OCYPj1  

Parting Thoughts

“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a door mat or a prostitute"

-Rebecca West

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Women's Equality Branch | 551 King Street, Suite A | Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1