As a multi-service feminist organization that supports victims and survivors of domestic violence, we conscientiously observe the world and conversations around us, and in particular the media and public narrative when it comes to issues pertaining to our services. Statistically, on the whole, progress is – as with many issues in our society – slowly being achieved in this sector. But unfortunately, there are instances like this where we see a clear step backward.

You may have Googled this trial, and seen top hits like “Funniest Witness Moments”. You may have been scrolling through Instagram and seen the “blooper” reels or meme compilations on YouTube. There has literally been laughter in the courtroom.

This – like any trial – should not be a joke.

The fact that they are celebrities is irrelevant. They are people. Every single one of them in that courtroom. And people in that situation are being subjected to scrutiny, ridicule, judgement and lack of analysis not only from the officials responsible in a court of law, but by every spectator, and – in this case – the public at large.

But irrespective of all of that, so much of the conversation is being dominated by making light of the situation, and in so doing – conscious or otherwise – making light of the subject matter.

Alicia Whyte – Women’s Habitat Shelter Manager – recently made a statement on CTV News on this topic:

“Now we’re looking at a situation where we are not actually even looking at the experience of the two individuals, we are now judging the two people who are involved.” says Whyte. “It really causes for more confusion and more misunderstanding and more ignorance on the topic of domestic violence”.

You can see the story on CTV News at 6 for Friday, May 6th.

Taking a step to take action against someone in an abusive situation takes incredible bravery and strength. Creating a culture where that action is met with ridicule and humiliation only creates more perceived barriers for people wanting and needing to come forward in the future. It puts the victims in an even more fearful position, when the potential backlash is demonstrated in such a high-profile situation such as this.

Humour in this case is a toxicity to public perception, and only exacerbates society’s inherent inclination to ignore uncomfortable issues such as domestic and intimate partner abuse in any form.

Regardless of where personal opinion lies, it needs to be about respect and a concerted effort to approach these happenings with more of an analytical and empathetic lens.

Our staff walk the walk as true advocates, and we love the chance to share information, education, resources, and our mission and values through speaking engagements, partnerships, workshops and so much more. We believe conversation and personal connection is an incredibly important part of addressing any challenges we face.

Executive Director, Carla Neto is a prolific speaker and trainer, leading teams not only internally, but within our partner organizations and non-profit network as well. As the architect of our sustainable livelihood approach, her expertise in management and process training, skills and systems development, and diversity, equity and inclusion makes her an incredible voice in any room.

Lina Almanzan – our head of Philanthropy – connects with people all over the community to support in strategy and ideation when it comes to how to get involved. Whether that’s personal, with a group, or corporate teams like our recent volunteer and donor guests at WHE Outreach from Brown-Forman Canada, her wealth of knowledge and compassionate approach has been an invaluable part of our team and external communication.

Alicia Whyte is our Shelter Manager, and has spoken across the city inspiring action in shelter, affordable housing, human rights, navigating our legal system, sexual violence, substance use recovery, trauma-based approach to care and more. She also happens to be a yoga and pilates instructor!

Other members of our team have also spoken with community groups, schools and youth. Like Lizzie at The York School, where we recently discussed intersectionality in addition to equity consideration and understanding using menstrual health and products as a tangible example. With the talk online, the school also ran their own “Period Products Drive” where students attended a dance using a product donation as their ticket. Not only addressing need, but opening up conversations and challenging stigma as well.

Or at the Etobicoke School of the Arts where Michelle presented and discussed volunteerism, activism, and understanding the history of violence against women and organizations like ours… which prompted them to run their own fundraising activities and conversations led by their incredible Diversity & Equity student groups.

And there are so many more.

We want to thank everyone on our team who gets those messages out there, but – even more importantly – thank those who welcome us into any conversation. We love and appreciate our community, and are thankful we have the opportunity to be an advocate for change and positive pathways to the future.

If you are interested in collaborating with our team, reach out to our communications lead Lizzie at eshort@womens-habitat.ca. You never know where a simple discussion can take you.

We have just officially wrapped up our first virtual “Cooking With Confidence”; the latest offering in Sustainable Livelihoods programming.

Participants in this 10-week pilot were provided tools, ingredients, and weekly classes. Hosted by a professional chef educator, they covered a wide range of cooking skills like how to properly use their equipment, prepare ingredients, and put together a healthy meal for their family. They were also provided an opportunity to obtain their Food Handling Certificate, that can be used to explore employment opportunities in the food service industry and expand their pathways to financial independence.

Available to both our shelter residents and outreach clients, they were able to join from wherever they were located each week. Ten weeks worth of amazing meal creations and virtual connection was an incredible opportunity for our teams, and we are so excited for the next.

Thanks to generous supporters – like Rotary Etobicoke in this case – we are able to make programs like this a reality, and bring them into the lives of our clients and their journey to empowerment.

CHECK OUT OUR INTRO HERE!

“Mom always gives back. This year we want to give back too!” – State & Main Etobicoke are donating $10 for every reservation made for Mother’s Day weekend (May 6th-8th) in honour of all the mothers in our community.

Open 11am to 11pm, there’s something for everyone in the family from sharable plates to delicious drinks, mains, small meals, salads, sides, and an amazing kids’ menu… not to mention tasty treats. An amazing family dining experience, they’re now bringing even more to the table in supporting worthy causes.

MAKE YOUR RESERVATION HERE!

“As we celebrate mothers on this day, we as an organization recognize that many of them face incredible adversity and challenges every single day.

We are grateful to State & Main for this Mother’s Day initiative. For working with us to make a difference in our community here in Etobicoke. For setting such an incredible example of what we can do when we combine forces and share in a single mission – to create a better, safer, more equitable place to live.

As a multi-service organization, the donations received from this partnership will go a long way to empower us to provide support to thousands of victims of violence and poverty – women and children in our own backyards – who are working to create sustainable livelihoods.

Sharing a meal is not just about food – it’s about coming together. And when we come together, we can not only enjoy more, we can achieve more.”

Carla Neto, Executive Director, Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke

Join us for our second-ever virtual event and silent auction. Registration and auction now open: https://givergy.ca/boundless

– Continue Reading

The pandemic has increased the rates of violence and harassment experienced by Asian communities globally. In Canada, the largest increase in individuals who have been victims of hate crimes have been of Chinese, Korean, and Southeast Asian descent. A report from Vancouver police found a 717 per cent increase in attacks on Asian communities from 2019 to 2020.  Women’s Habitat is outraged and heartbroken by the horrific murder of eight people in Atlanta, Georgia last week including six Asian women. Our hearts ache for their friends and families.

This massacre is another example of how the historical objectification, fetishization and dehumanization of Asian women so often leads to violence. It is a reminder of the persistent attacks of racism and misogyny that all Asian women experience, and the pervasiveness of this racism. While these attacks took place in the United States, this is not an American problem. Canada has a long history of anti-Asian racism, most notably ‘the Chinese head tax’ or the Chinese Immigration Act of 1885, which aimed to discourage Chinese people from entering Canada after they built the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Women’s Habitat stands united with the Asian community. We denounce racism and misogyny in all its forms and we refuse to accept the excuses made for racist perpetrators while their victims’ families grieve. We will continue to show up and speak up against all forms of hatred today and every day. 

Preventing violence against women and girls by promoting healthy masculinity; learning and sharing through creative expression.

TORONTO, March 9, 2021 – Today, Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke announces its first-ever male facilitated virtual program ‘ReelReal Men’.

This program engages male-identified youth ages 14-18 in a conversation about gender and social norms that contribute to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and focuses on building healthy masculinity and relationships. The project aims to promote a safe space for youth to build a brotherhood, share their perspectives on manhood, build confidence and support the development of critical analysis. The project is set to start in April 2021 for 10 weeks to male-identified youth across the GTA.
Women’s Habitat believes that patriarchy is the root of GBV and recognizes violence against women and girls to be the most prevalent form of GBV. Half of all women in Canada have experienced a form of sexual or physical violence.

“We believe this conversation must take place within a problem-solving context, which must be an all-encompassing gender inclusive process. Gender based violence can only be addressed when we all work together, in solidarity.” shared Carla Neto, Community Programs Manager and creator of the project.

The RealReel Men program is set to be delivered virtually by co-facilitators Khalil Dorival and Kyle Rushton. Dorival is a Mental Wellness Coach, Author, Spiritual Leader, and has been awarded an “Invisible Hero” by Toronto Police Services & Child Care Services. “Being part of this program is the start of changing the narrative of what means to be a … Real Man!” says Dorival. Rushton is a Mindset and Personal Development Life Coach and says “being part of this program is important to me because I have personally experienced the negative effects of unhealthy masculinity. My hope is to support these young men in their development in an effort to cultivate a remarkable future for all of us.”

The project has been generously funded by the Modern Mystery School and The Hustler Young Men’s Bible Class Foundation. Both program sponsors have a long history of supporting Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke.

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About Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke
Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke is a community-based feminist organization providing lifesaving support to women and their children who are survivors of violence. Founded in 1978, our emergency shelter provides counselling and safe refuge and our outreach centre, established in 2006, offers a suite of services including group and individual counselling, parenting support and housing assistance.

For more information please contact Sojie Tate, Communications and Human Resource Manager state@womens-habitat.ca 416-576-4447 or visit www.womens-habitat.ca

We are honoured to once again partner with so many Shoppers Drug Mart stores as part of their Growing Women’s Health campaign. From now to November 1, 2019 you can visit any of these stores and support us:

· College Square, 725 College Street
· Lake Shore & Park Lawn, 2206 Lake Shore Blvd West
· Royal York, 3010 Bloor St. West
· The East Mall, 600 The East Mall, Unit 1
· Humbertown Shopping Centre, 270 The Kingsway
· Sherway Gardens, 25 The West Mall, Unit # 1267
· Six Points Plaza, 5230 Dundas St. West
· The Queensway, 125 The Queensway
· Browns Line & Lake Shore, 3730 Lake Shore Blvd West, Unit 102
· Lake Shore & 4th, 2850 Lake Shore Blvd. West
· Bloor West Village, 2223 Bloor St. West
· Thorncrest Plaza, 1500 Islington Ave.
· Burnhamthorpe Mall, 666 Burnhamthorpe Rd.

Thank you to all our amazing Shoppers partners! We love you! #ShoppersLovesYou