16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence in Engineering 2024

When someone faces violence because of their gender, gender expression, gender identity or perceived gender, that’s called gender-based violence (GBV). It’s Not Just is a national youth awareness campaign created to increase awareness of GBV and ultimately shift behaviours and actions to create a safer Canada for everyone. Different forms of GBV exist everywhere, but we don’t always take them as seriously as we should. Discover what they are and how to stop dismissing them.

Educate: To continue learning more about gender-based violence through the “It’s Not Just” youth awareness campaign, please visit the Government of Canada's website.

Join SVPRO at their booth to to say hello or to spin their wheel, or to collect swag and resources.

Location: SLC (across from Food Court)
Time: 11AM - 2PM

Over the past decade, there have been numerous stories of women and girls being bullied and harassed online. The term “cyber misogyny” has been coined to define the trend and refers to the various forms of gendered hatred, harassment, and abusive behaviour targeted at women and girls via the Internet.

Educate: Learn more about cyber misogyny through a learning network resource created by Nicole Etherington from the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children at Western University.

Join SVPRO at their booth to to say hello or spin to their wheel, or to collect swag and resources.

Location: Village 1 Lobby
Time: 1-3PM

In honour of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, join SVPRO at their booth on the first floor of E7 from 11 AM- 2 PM.

To learn more about 16 Days and our initiatives honouring the annual event, please visit the SVPRO website.

Take a break from the exam grind with Chill & Craft: A Relaxing Creative Escape! Join us, alongside WUSU, for an afternoon of crafting, doodling, and hands-on maker space activities designed to help you unwind, spark creativity, and recharge in a calming atmosphere. No experience needed—just bring yourself and enjoy the chill vibes!

Location: Lower Concourse Flex Space (WUSA Collab)
Time: 11AM - 6PM

The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASC) is an organization that listens, facilitates healing, and celebrates resiliency. Using an anti-racist, intersectional feminist approach, they work to transform systems which promote gender-based violence.

Groups: SASC offers many free virtual and in-person support groups and workshops on a variety of topics. Visit their website to see a complete list.

Volunteer: If you’d like to contribute as a volunteer, please visit their website to learn about the different opportunities available.

Gender bias is holding women back in the workplace. Whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it harder for women to get hired and promoted and negatively impacts their day-to-day work experiences. Created by LeanIn.Org, this short video series—one introductory video and six two-to-three-minute videos—is designed to provide an understanding of how gender bias impacts women’s and men’s experiences at work. These videos cover the five most common types of biases women face and address the concept of intersectionality. The videos can be watched individually or paired with a card-based activity that brings people together to have meaningful discussions about gender bias. For additional resources on combating gender bias in the workplace, visit LeanIn.Org.

Colleen James was elected to Regional Council in October 2022, representing City of Kitchener residents.

The 2022 Municipal election has placed more women into office including Waterloo Regional Councilor Chantal Huinink and re-elected Waterloo Regional Chair Karen Redman. Colleen James was elected to Regional Council in October 2022, representing City of Kitchener residents. The Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife is also a champion for education, serving as Trustee and Chair of the Waterloo Region District School Board, Vice President of the Canadian School Boards’ Association, and President of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association. It’s important to reflect on the accomplishments made and sometimes direct our focus to celebrating the wins.

Educate/Reflect: In the documentary 9to5: The Story of a Movement, female office workers in '70s Boston inspire change with a call for better pay, more opportunities and an end to sexual harassment.

Educate: This 2-minute video defines rape culture - both what it is, and what it is not. We all have a role in addressing our environment and questioning things like gender roles and sexuality as they are portrayed in the media and beyond.

Educate: So, what is consent? This 4-minute video titled "How do you know if someone wants to have sex with you?" does an excellent job of breaking down how to check for consent, what it is and it is not, and some examples. This is part of a larger collection of short videos addressing related issues, so if you’ve got questions about how to handle certain situations, check out these videos.

For there to be systematic change, allies are needed. Consider getting involved with an organization such as White Ribbon or Next Gen Men.

White Ribbon: White Ribbon is the world’s largest movement of men and boys working to end violence against women and girls, promote gender equity, healthy relationships and a new vision of masculinity.

Next Gen Men: Next Gen Men is a small-but-mighty Canadian nonprofit whose work is dedicated to one ambitious thing—to change how the world sees, acts and thinks about masculinity.

They bring together perspectives from across North America, across genders, and across backgrounds to talk about why we all have a stake in the future of masculinity.

At Next Gen Men, they are champions of hope, and workers for change. Find them in your community, your classroom, your workplace, online, across Canada, the U.S. and anywhere you find our community.

Gender-based violence doesn’t look the same for everyone. When additional factors such as race and class are layered on top, the experience of gender-based violence can look quite different. Learn more about the amazing Black women behind the terms “intersectionality” and the Me Too movement.

Educate: Kimberlé Crenshaw, professor at the School of Law at UCLA and Columbia Law School, introduced the term “intersectionality” in 1989 while describing the experiences of Black women with the US legal system.  Learn more about intersectionality by watching this video or this interview with Vox.

Educate: Tarana Burke, the woman behind the #metoo movement in 2017, has recently released a memoir titled “Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement”. Read about Tarana Burke and the movement in this book interview with The New York Times (TW - sexual assault).

Educate: The Centre for Teaching Excellence has created a resource about trigger warnings and their importance in the classroom. While intended for course instructors, the information presented gives insight and understanding as to why trigger warnings are helpful for students.

Educate: Are you curious about trigger warnings and their relation to gender-based violence? Those who experience gender-based violence can develop post-traumatic stress disorder. This Ted-Ed video summarizes the psychology behind post-traumatic stress disorder, the challenges faced by those who experience it, and explains the phenomenon of triggers.

Reflect: Now that you have an understanding of trigger warnings, do you think they are important to make our classes and campuses inclusive? Can you use this knowledge to make the spaces you inhabit more inclusive?

It is important to practice self-care when learning and reflecting on topics surrounding gender-based violence. One way to practice self-care is through watching a movie. PsychCentral explains the mental health benefits of watching movies and shares how watching movies can also be a therapy technique.

Action: As a way to relax and destress, reward yourself with well-earned escapism. Queue up your favourite movie or series, grab your top five snacks, and let yourself unwind.

Canada changed forever on December 6, 1989 when 14 women were murdered in a gender-based act of violence at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal.

The Faculty of Engineering invites the engineering community to join us, on December 6, 2024, for a ceremony and moment of silence observing Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

Please join us as we come together to honour and reflect on the lives of these 14 women and everyone else whose lives were forever changed.

When: Friday, December 6 | 10:30 am - 11:00 am
Where: Engineering 7, 2nd Floor Event Space

Please register for this event.

A pronoun is the part of speech which replaces a noun or noun phrase to eliminate unnecessary noun repetition. When referring to a person or people, a pronoun replaces a person's name to avoid repetition. Using someone's preferred pronouns shows them respect, acknowledges and affirms their gender identity, creating a safe and welcoming environment. 

Educate: The Centre for Teaching Excellence has put together this excellent tip sheet for learning about pronouns. While the intended audience is course instructors, the information is easily applied by anyone interacting with other people. Take a moment to read through it.

Action: Consider adding your pronouns to your e-mail signature, Zoom name, etc. Consider how you will introduce yourself and include your pronouns. Practice using "they/them" pronouns to avoid misgendering someone who has not told you their pronouns.

Domestic violence or family and intimate partner violence can affect anyone, and is not gender specific. It is important to approach this topic with care and without judgement. It takes an immense amount of courage for someone who has experienced domestic violence or family and intimate partner violence to come forward and discloses their experiences. There are a few things that you can do to better understand and to support survivors.

Educate: The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) has put together information to learn how to respond if someone discloses they've experienced sexual violence. If you would like to further expand your knowledge, Western's Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children (CREVAWC) has online modules focused on preventative and awareness education.

Consider this resource if you or someone you know is seeking help. 

She Is Your Neighbour is an awareness project and storytelling series created by Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region. The project explores the realities and complexities of domestic violence by sharing stories from people of all walks of life. 

Educate: Listen to an episode or season of the podcast where they take a deep dive into domestic violence, exploring the realities and complexities of it.

We know that these topics can be difficult in the moment, or triggering for folks who have either experienced gender-based violence or now realize that they have perpetuated harm. You are not alone.

On-campus help and support for students:

• UWaterloo Counselling Services

For support outside of UWaterloo business hours, for emergency support, and for students outside of Canada:

• Campus Wellness Links

Help and support for UWaterloo staff:

• Campus Wellness - Faculty and Staff