Ending Violence Blog

As we are in Prevention of Violence Against Women Week, it's crucial to acknowledge another significant movement happening concurrently – Fashion Revolution Week. This annual global campaign, slated from April 15th to April 24th, is not just about style; it's a call...

As you know, the fight for justice is not an easy road. So, as we begin our 45th year on the frontline, we stand alongside community members and supporters, combined with the hard work of our volunteers and staff, working together to make justice for survivors and victims possible.

Couples Counselling is not the Answer if Your Partner is Abusive In recent years, there's been growing awareness surrounding the importance of mental health support within relationships. From communication issues to trust concerns, couples therapy has been a beacon of...

On this significant day, March 21st, as we commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, we reflect on the interconnectedness of global struggles against racial injustice.

Today, as we commemorate International Women’s Day, we honour the remarkable strength, achievements, and unity of women, girls, and femmes worldwide. It’s a day to celebrate their resilience in the face of adversity but also to confront the harsh realities of gender-based violence, misogyny, and oppression that continue to plague our communities.

Last week, there was a significant development in legal aid for survivors of intimate partner violence who are navigating the family law system. The Government of BC announced an expansion of legal aid, with an infusion of $29 million towards family law services for survivors of violence in intimate relationships.

It has taken a while to write this, and even now, as the words hit the electronic page, it is uncertain if this is the time or the format to share some of the reasons why I march on February 14th at the Women’s Memorial March. Ultimately, it is about my own experience as a bi-racial Black girl growing up in Metro Vancouver, where all the memories from childhood and youth are shared by a day-to-day experience and witnessing of misogynist and racist violence against women and girls.  

Like many Indigenous folks, the MMIWG2S march is personal because we feel the weight of systemic, racial and gender-based violence in our lives and in the lives of our relatives. The women who are missing and murdered are not just statistics, they are our sisters, cousins, aunties, mothers, friends, and beyond.

I have been working with Indigenous communities in various capacities for many years. It wasn’t until I started working at BWSS in 2016 that I truly grasped the underpinnings and reasons why Indigenous women and girls are more vulnerable to violence and abuse. I didn’t realize the extent to which it pervades our communities and society. Oppression is systemic, and when I march, I stand against those systems that allow missing and murdered women to go unnoticed and without justice.

Since 1994, BWSS has been envisioning the day when we can expand on our mission by providing housing for women. We’ve patiently awaited the right opportunity as we never wanted to grow for the sake of growth but rather to make the best of key opportunities that...