Several researchers from the University of Waterloo are applying their scholarship and teaching in support of actions to end gender-based violence, and a number of these experts are available to speak with the media on a variety of topics relevant to this global issue.
Each year from November 25 to December 10, organizations and governments worldwide participate in 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence to remind all citizens that they can take actions in their everyday lives to stop gender violence. The campaign began today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and concludes on Human Rights Day.
"This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre,” said Professor Shannon Dea, director of the Women’s Studies program in the Faculty of Arts at Waterloo. “The number of missing and murdered Aboriginal women, the abduction of nearly 300 schoolgirls by Boko Haram, and the overwhelming response to the hash tag #beenrapedneverreported make clear that gender violence is as serious a problem today as it was in 1989.”
In Canada, the 16 Days campaign encompasses the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, established to mark the anniversary of the murder of 14 young women at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal on December 6, 1989.
“By participating in the 16 Days Campaign, the University of Waterloo is standing with our community to say everyone deserves the right to be safe—all day and all night,” said Professor Diana Parry, special advisor to the president on women’s and gender Issues at Waterloo.“Through our joint efforts, we demonstrate our shared responsibility to each other and pledge to create a more equitable climate for all.”
Professors available to speak to the media about how their research and teaching takes action to eliminate gender violence:
· Professor Shannon Dea (Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts) – Violence against LGBTQ people, harm-reduction approaches to gendered issues, such as abortion and sex work.
· Professor Diana Parry (Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences) – 50 Shades of Grey phenomenon and violence in sexually explicit material consumed by women.
· Professor Carrie Mitchell (School of Planning, Faculty of Environment) – Infrastructure, urban planning, and gender: making cities safer for women and others.
· Professor Aimée Morrison (Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts) – Gendered violence online and in gaming: understanding the impact of trolling and threats of sexual violence and gendered policing of online social roles.
· Professor Andy Houston (Department of Drama and Speech Communication, Faculty of Arts) – Teaches a performance research course focused on rape culture and gender-based violence.
Media contact:
Pamela Smyth
University of Waterloo
519-888-4777
@UWaterlooNews
www.uwaterloo.ca/news
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