Day of Action Against Violence Towards Women Marie Drouin
Quebec CALACS Network
September 23, 2002 “The street, the night, women without fear”, “When a women says no, it’s no”, “Take back the night”, “In the urban jungle, women roar”, “No means no”, women have been chanting for more than twenty years in the streets of many towns and villages in North America and Europe on the third Friday of September. They are marking the Day of Action against Violence towards Women. This demonstration began in 1978 when American women demonstrated against pornography in the streets of San Francisco. In 1981, the Quebec network of CALACS (sexual assault centres) brought this initiative to Quebec, in cooperation with Canadian and American associations against rape. Women from the whole continent have demonstrated since that time against violence to women, decrying the fact that women have always, and continue to, live in fear of aggression. For example, in Montreal alone, 60% of women say that they are afraid to go out alone at night in their neighbourhood, compared to 15% of men (Women’s safety and public transport in Montreal, June, 2001). As a result of these demonstrations, a number of women’s groups in Quebec have started local and regional committees in cooperation with municipalities, police and transport authorities to change the urban and rural landscape in order to respond to the concerns regarding safety of women. This has had the effect of transforming localities, by for example adding lighting or improving visibility in the locality. All these projects are important. However, women are refusing to accept that they must plan their movements to avoid isolated and poorly lit areas, guard against dressing in a manner which can be accused of being provocative, watch their drinks in a bar to make sure that nothing is slipped into them, be fearful of everything and everyone. About 70% of sexual assaults are committed by someone whom the victim knows and not by a stranger in a dark alleyway. (Health press, 1999) Women (the potential victims) are still at the forefront of the prevention of sexual assault. And women continue to be forced to take responsibility for preventing assaults! Take, for example, the public communication regarding sexual assault, particularly the message spread by the Quebec government to the young, which is part of a large publicity campaign called “Parler c’est grandir” (Talking is growing up), one of whose themes is sexual assault. All the publicity is directed towards ensuring that we clearly explain all gestures of a sexual nature among our group, to avoid sexual assaults happening. Prevention is once again directed towards the victim. If we compare this to the campaign against drinking and driving, we see that in this case, the target is not the victim, but the person whose behaviour is reprehensible, the drunk driver who kills or maims. Moreover, in the campaign against drunk driving, the approach involves those close to the drunk driver to reinforce the unacceptability of drunk driving. We also reinforce the notion that drunk driving is a crime. When will there be a campaign against sexual aggressors and who will sensitize the public to take a clear position against sexual assault? As long as we do not lay the entire blame for sexual assault on the aggressor and as long as the public as well as the government and medical and social authorities do not constantly take a clear stand against sexual assault, it is fair to bet that many more women will bear the consequences of sexual assault. But also, these women will have to take the blame for having been assaulted and for not having prevented it. We want sexual assault to stop in the same way that we want drunk driving to stop. There is only one way to make this happen, blame those who are really responsible and show our solidarity with the victims. This year the 30 sexual assault centres will demonstrate again on the third Friday of September. The activities of the CALACS will take place on September 20, 2002 in all regions of Quebec. “Traffic tickets” (French — PDF File) to promote awareness will be distributed to the public, and other activities will take place. It is important for us to have the support of the public in the fight against sexual assault. Only public pressure will bring about fundamental changes when it comes to human rights. Please contact us at 514-529-5252 to find the whereabouts of the CALACS closest to you. Marie Drouin
Quebec CALACS Network
September 23, 2002 |
