December 6 — A Solemn Annivesary

We remember this day 25 years ago, and are saddened not only at 14 lives needlessly lost, but the reminder that even though 25 years has gone by not enough has changed.

It was shocking in so many ways. Not only did a gunman shoot students at École Polytechnique in Montreal, he singled out only the women as the ones he chose to kill.

In all these years there has been much debate about whether this was or is a 'feminist' issue, as opposed to a mere 'shooting spree', these days I find this kind of debate a red herring. A few facts to work with: Most of the sexualized violence, from harrassment, to sexual assault to femicide is done by men to women. Yes some men are also victims of this kind of violence, and yes sometimes women commit this violence. But not very often. Most violence against women, against children, and against men is committed by men. And yet most men are not violent. So this is why we need 'most men' to also step up and call their violent brothers out.

We stant in solidary with our friends and client WAVAW who know all to well how devastating this is, as they are on the front lines of sexualized violence. The need to support survivors of violence is huge, and funding cuts to these kind of services in the 25 years since December 6 are frankly, shameful. WAVAW is also actively at work to shift society for the future, and this work too is under-funded. So on this solemn occasion, when we all remember WHY we do this work, I want to just say thank you to all the amazing women at WAVAW and to express solidarity to the question they ask today:

"25 years later, we ask what's changed?"

And the short answer is not enough has changed. But what has changed recently is the high profile story of Jian Ghomeshi's fall from grace at CBC, of CBC's own complicity in allowing a toxic culture to exist in that instituion, sparked the people-powered movement launched by Antonia Zerbizias and Sue Montgomery with the hashtag #BeenRapedNeverReported. This is truly a moment I've never seen before when the idea of "Rape Culture" is being openly debated by many people, women and men.

The slience has been broken. And now we need to keep talking.

To be continued...