Guest bloggers Archives - Page 12 of 18 - Canadian Women's Foundation

Adding My Voice as a Survivor of Abuse

Adding My Voice as a Survivor of Abuse

Ingrid Walter2017-12-19T17:22:00+00:00January 19, 2016|Gender-based violence, Guest bloggers, Sexual abuse|

I once lived with a man who when enraged would punch and kick me. I was once drugged and sexually assaulted by a man I thought I knew. Both violent experiences left me with physical and emotional scars.

I never dreamed I would get involved with men who would eventually abuse me. I worked hard, I held high profile positions, I was an on air journalist and a newspaper columnist who expressed my opinions openly and freely in any forum, male-dominated or not.

Day 13: Illustrating How Emotional Abuse Feels

Day 13: Illustrating How Emotional Abuse Feels

Jocelyne Frank2017-12-19T17:24:46+00:00December 7, 2015|Gender-based violence, Guest bloggers, Women in media|

Controlling behaviours, jealousy, yelling, bullying, threats: these are just some of the aspects of emotional abuse. You might think that if you’re not physically hurt, you’re not the victim of abuse. This is not necessarily true. Emotional abuse can be just as traumatic as physical violence and lead to depression, anxiety and even suicide.

As an illustrator I express myself through my art and in these illustrations I show how a victim might feel in the midst of emotional abuse. It's as though you become a psychological punching bag for someone else's problems, absorbing the impact of threats and trying to dodge verbal assaults that reduce your self-worth. Your mind becomes locked in self-defence; you are 'up in the clouds' – like the women in my illustrations - and no one can really get through to you.

Day 9: Re-evaluating personal security with the Internet of things

Day 9: Re-evaluating personal security with the Internet of things

Rachel Hayward2017-12-19T17:25:37+00:00December 3, 2015|Gender-based violence, Guest bloggers|

“The Internet of things” is a fairly recent term used to describe the network of physical objects or "things" embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity, which enables users to live in a more connected world. The obvious parts of this network is your cell phone, tablet and perhaps iPod. But it is also the less obvious parts, such as your Fitbit, your apple watch, your new sneakers that track where and how far you walk/run, your vehicle, your appliances, home alarm system and the list goes on. The Internet of things has opened up a world of possibility. Our lives have changed drastically in just the last 10 years thanks to this network.

Imagine a typical twenty something couple living in their newly purchased home. After a busy day at work they sit together on the couch. She is cold and he is hungry. By using apps on their phone they can turn up the heat and order a pizza. They may turn on Netflix and their baby begins to cry. Both grab their phones and use the baby cam app to check in on the little one. The pizza will be coming soon so he turns off the home alarm while she turns on the outside lights - again all using their phones.

Day 8: How SWOVA is Helping BC Teens Develop Respectful Relationship Skills

Day 8: How SWOVA is Helping BC Teens Develop Respectful Relationship Skills

Lynda Laushway2017-12-19T17:25:52+00:00December 2, 2015|Empowering girls, Gender-based violence, Guest bloggers|

SWOVA recently had a visit from an engaging and dynamic woman from Australia named Ellen Poyner. Ellen works to create and deliver healthy relationships programs in Southern Australia and is touring North America to investigate programs related to her work. When she asked me what I was most proud of in SWOVA’s Respectful Relationships program, the first thing that came to mind is team work. We have always worked in teams. Many people have worked with us for short periods or long periods providing dynamic team collaborations. As we all know there is lots of work to be done to prevent gender-based violence and we are stronger when we feel supported and are able to spark off each other.

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