You may already be familiar with the Sans Violence Free (SVF) platform, or this might be your first visit to this resource hub for professionals from diverse fields created by the Y des femmes de Montréal. In either case, the following will introduce you to the enhanced resources now available on the platform.
Welcome to a Renewed and More Comprehensive Platform!
As an organization committed to building a better future for women and girls, the YWCA Montreal is deeply invested in democratizing knowledge. With this in mind, the platform aims to reduce violence against women and mitigate its societal and personal repercussions.
The upcoming changes to the platform reflect this new ambition. In addition to addressing sexual violence (SV), the platform will now highlight other forms of violence that significantly affect various aspects of women’s lives.
This enhancement has been made possible through funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada. This grant supports the increased efforts of the YWCA Montreal to strengthen the economic security and prosperity of women and girls in educational environments.
A heartfelt thank you for their renewed support and trust in our mission!
A Transformative Addition of New Resources!
The platform will be enriched with tools, resources, articles, as well as an assessment of the needs of various sectors regarding the socioeconomic impacts of violence against women.
Building on the platform’s original purpose, all new content will aim to better support stakeholders (professionals, HR representatives, educators, and other practitioners in educational settings) in their responsibilities and work with students.
Here you will find tools designed to deepen the understanding of the repercussions that violence against women can have on their socioeconomic development.
The platform is therefore evolving to address a new dimension of the consequences of violence against women: the socioeconomic impact.
Addressing an Underexplored Topic!
During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have indicated a growing interest in the intersectionality of socioeconomic issues and violence against women. In fact, an increase in violence against women was observed during this period.
The pandemic had a profound social and economic impact on women. For instance, in many cases, women were the ones assigned with childcare responsibilities when schools and daycare centers closed. They also took on the care of dependents with reduced autonomy, all of which resulted in careers being put on hold. The explanation for this phenomenon can be found in the unconscious societal biases rooted in the stereotype of women as caregivers.
Let’s not forget that, despite the Pay Equity Act of 1996, in 2021, a 9% gap still existed between the average hourly wages of men and women. While steady progress has been observed between 1996 and 2021, it’s essential to maintain hope and to continue taking action to democratize knowledge about violence against women. For more information on pay equity, such as the comparison of incomes for jobs that are typically occupied by women versus those who are typically occupied by men, see the article [insérer le titre anglais de l’article] on the platform created by the YWCA Montreal’s Youth Services team.
That is to say, the growing societal awareness and the funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada allows us to continue raising awareness of socioeconomic impacts of sexual violence, a topic that remains underexplored. Through these platform enhancements, we hope to broaden our impact on an increasingly diverse audience with varied realities and needs.
What is SV ?
Sexual violence (SV) is a term used to describe all forms of physical and psychological violence with sexual connotations, including violence related to a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Violence occurs when the consent and boundaries of one or more individuals are violated. The term “violence” is used because, even if no physical evidence remains, such acts infringe upon human rights. These acts aim to impose the will of one person upon another.
If you would like to learn more, you are welcome to explore the many resources already available on our platform. You can look up definitions or get more information through documents like Definitions of Sexual Violence. For your interventions with youth, you could also look up intervention tools like Quiz on Sexual Violence and Queer Sensitive Intervention Guide.
What is GBV ?
Literature consensually defines gender-based violence (GBV) as violence directed at a person because of their gender identity, the behaviors expected from it, gender stereotypes, or a power imbalance between genders.
GBV can take many forms (physical, psychological, sexual, socioeconomic, etc.) and is also referred to as sexist violence. Thus, sexual violence (SV) and socioeconomic violence are considered forms of GBV when they are perpetrated based on the victim’s gender.
What is a Socioeconomic Impact?
A socioeconomic impact refers to the economic consequences (loss or gain) of a social issue, such as violence against women, which is the main subject of the Sans Violence Free platform.
It differs from socioeconomic violence, which involves one person controlling another’s economic resources, thereby placing the victim in a state of economic dependence. Economic resources include all monetizable and financial assets and actions, such as money, employment, financial capital, transportation, or food.
Six forms of economic violence are identified:
- Controlling expenses and financial management.
- Stealing money.
- Identity theft.
- Limiting access to family financial information.
- Controlling the victim’s professional life.
- Using money to coerce the victim to stay in the relationship.
Thus, socioeconomic impacts can result from socioeconomic violence, but also from other forms of violence, such as SV.
Here’s an example: A college student shares intimate photos with a partner, who is also a colleague at work. Without her consent, this person shares the photos with their coworkers. This act constitutes a form of cyber sexual violence. Following this disclosure, the student might feel shame, humiliation, or anxiety, which could lead her to stop going to work. This may result in a job and income loss, affecting her ability to continue her studies, maintain housing, or find a new job in the future.
In summary, in this scenario, the impacts are socioeconomic, but the violence itself is not.
