After many years of organizing sexualized violence prevention in Yukon, sometimes we learn that we need to try something new.

Every year, we talk about the statistics (rates of sexualized violence are nearly 4 times greater in Yukon than the provincial average), we talk about the offenders (more than 85% of offenders of sexualized violence are male), we talk about the unique Yukon realities (women are often sexually assaulted when they are sleeping or passed out), and we talk about how the community needs to step up to end this injustice. Still. Argh.

Right in the midst of planning this year’s Sexualized Assault Prevention Month campaign in Whitehorse, the verdict in the Cindy Gladue case came out from Alberta. We all know the details by now: a 36 year old mother of two bled to death in an Edmonton hotel room and the jury acquitted her murderer, agreeing with his explanation that they had engaged in consensual rough sex.

There are many conversations, actions, and public demonstrations that blossomed out of this unjust decision.