OFL STATEMENT
December 5, 2012
Rising Together Against Violence Against Women:
OFL Statement for December 6, 2012 National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
As Ontarians gather in cities and towns across the province to remember the women victims of gender-based violence, Ontario’s labour movement is beginning to build for a global day of action to demand an end to violence against women and girls. One million workers in Ontario are adding their collective voices and efforts to support ONE BILLION RISING – the international day of strike, dance and resistance on February 14, 2013.
“Through the ONE BILLION RISING campaign, women and men across the globe are promising to ignite a revolution to challenge gender-based violence,” said OFL Secretary-Treasurer Nancy Hutchison. “The shocking prevalence of violence, abuse and sexual assault of Canadian women reveals the shameful persistence of individual and systemic sexism and misogyny in our society. However, the dangerous consequences of these prejudices are even more acutely experienced by Aboriginal women, racialized women, trans women, women with disabilities, and so many others who are marginalized or vulnerable in our society.”
The research, statistics and stories of Canadian women continue to paint a dire picture of the daily threat to the safety of too many women and girls:
- Violence and abuse drive over 100,000 women and children out of their homes and into shelters every year;
- Over 600 Aboriginal women have been murdered and disappeared in the past 30 years. Aboriginal women are three times more likely to report being the victim of a violent crime. While Aboriginal women make up only 3 percent of Canada’s female population, they make up 10 percent of all murdered women;
- Over 50 percent of Canadian women experience an incident of violence at some point in their lives, the majority before they turn the age of 25; Two thirds of all female victims of sexual assault are under 24. Young women are killed at nearly three times the rate of all victims of domestic homicide;
- Nearly 30 percent of Canadian women have been assaulted by a spouse;
- On average, every six days a women in Canada is killed by her intimate partner;
- 20 percent of women in Canada live with a disability, and nearly 60 percent of them will experience violence in their lifetime, neglect, physical, sexual, psychological violence, and financial exploitation; and
- Violence against women is the world’s largest and most persistent human rights violation.
“Despite the shocking and violent stories that continue to fill news broadcasts and evidence of many more incidents that continue to go unreported, uninvestigated and unnoticed, Canadian authorities continue to fail to act on violence against women and, in particular, the violence against Aboriginal women,” said OFL President Sid Ryan. “Far too many Canadian politicians remain shamefully divided on their condemnation of the Harper’s government’s decision last year to cancel the Canadian Firearms Registry and destroy all of the data gathered.”
December 6, is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women and marks the 23rd anniversary of the Montréal Massacre, in which 14 women were singled out and murdered at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal because they were women. This senseless act of violence against women shocked the nation and became the catalyst for collective action to end violence against women, including the creation of a long-gun registry.
This December 6, the Ontario Federation of Labour is calling for the recognition that violence against women and girls is intricately linked to their social and economic rights. It is calling for:
- The adoption of a national action plan to address violence against women;
- A national inquiry into the 600 missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls;
- Government budgeting at all levels to ensure full compliance with women’s social and economic rights;
- The renewal of full funding to programs and services that support women;
- Fiscal policies that bolster women’s economic autonomy;
- Decent work (improved labour standards, pensions, etc.);
- Legal aid and feminist advocacy;
- Educating boys and men towards ending gender-based violence;
- Reliable data and statistics;
- Protections for women in the workplace; and
- Strong legislation and enforcement on violence in the workplace.
December 6 is an opportunity to reflect on the tragedy of the Montréal Massacre and to reach out to all families of female victims whose lives have been forever altered by acts of violence. The OFL is calling for support for the petition of the Native Women’s Association of Canada to demand a national inquiry into the missing and murdered Aboriginal women (www.NWAC.ca). On February 14, 2013, the OFL plans to give these issues an international platform in joining the global campaign to bring an end to gender-based violence.
“We must use the act of remembering to fuel the collaborative efforts across our country to build a better, safer and more inclusive Canada,” said Hutchison. “As Canadians, we must be firm and principled in our commitment to the fair, equitable and respectful treatment of all people and speak out against the intolerable acts of violence against women and girls.”
The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow the OFL on Facebook and Twitter: @OFLabour. Follow OFL President Sid Ryan @SidRyan_OFL
For further information:
Nancy Hutchison, OFL Secretary Treasurer: 647.403.9799 (mobile)
Joel Duff, OFL Communications Director: 416-707-0349 (cell) or jduff@ofl-org.flywheelsites.com *ENG/FRENCH*
