Expert: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women | November 25
Every year, from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to December 10 (World Human Rights Day), Canadians observe the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. It is an opportunity to come together to call out, speak up and renew our commitment to end gender-based violence. (Women and Gender Equality Canada)
Here is an expert from McGill University that can provide comment on this issue:
Shaheen Shariff, James McGill Professor, Department of Integrated Studies in Education
“While it is heartening to see substantial scholarship, political awareness and activism supporting the need to eliminate violence against women, it is disheartening that the stated intent of laws and policies against such violence are less efficiently implemented. Patriarchy, sexism, and misogyny continue to be deeply embedded in society. Violence against women and girls is increasingly enabled through social media platforms such as online sexual harassment; demeaning non-consensual distribution of intimate images that violate women and girls’ privacy and dignity; sex trafficking and normalized violence in pornography that young people can now freely access. We also saw a rise in domestic and sexual violence by intimate partners during the pandemic internationally. We have a lot of work to do globally and collectively, and I am grateful that the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women will raise increased awareness and hopefully resources, to support women whose lives are devastated because of senseless violence.”
Shaheen Shariff is a James McGill Professor in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education and an Associate Member of the Faculty of Law. Her work is centred on the intersection of education, law and policy, with a focus on constitutional, human rights and civil law as it impacts educational institutions. She is best known for her work on cyberbullying, and sexual violence as symptoms of deeply ingrained systemic discrimination and societal power imbalances (intersecting forms of sexism, misogyny, homophobia, ableism, ageism, and xenophobia).
shaheen.shariff [at] mcgill.ca (English)
