Honouring Their Voices: Canadore College Recognizes the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
Dec 6, 2024 | Ishmael Van Der Rassel, Student Storyteller
On December 6th, people across Canada observe the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, honouring the 14 women who were tragically killed at École Polytechnique in Montreal in 1989. These women were targeted simply because they were women, in an act rooted in misogyny, sexism, and antifeminism.
More than 30 years later, women and girls in Canada continue to face alarming rates of gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence (IPV). Statistics from 2020 reveal that over 160 women and girls lost their lives to violence—one every two and a half days. Gender-based violence disproportionately affects women and girls who experience intersecting forms of oppression, including the ongoing impacts of colonial policies on Indigenous women.
Indigenous women are six times more likely to lose their lives to intimate partner violence. Similarly, women with disabilities face violence at nearly twice the rate of women without disabilities. Among Indigenous women, 61% report being survivors or victims of IPV, and among women with disabilities, the rate is 55%.
As of 2024, an estimated 11 million people in Canada have experienced some form of intimate partner or gender-based violence. This includes:
- 45% of First Nations women,
- 44% of Métis women,
- 26% of Inuit women, and
- 67% of women+ who identify as 2SLGBTQI+.
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is not only a day to remember those lost to IPV and GBV but also a call to action. Consider taking steps to educate yourself about these issues, attend a vigil in your community, wear a white ribbon to honour victims, observe a moment of silence, and explore how you can contribute to ending violence against women.