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Abstract
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Canadian governments--federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal--have their work cut out after the release of Canada's National Action Plan to End Gender Based Violence last month.1 Gender based violence is defined as violence on account of "sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or perceived gender."1 The action plan, which is intersectional and wide ranging in scope, presents a challenge to the systems that have long sidelined gender based violence, treating it in isolation or delegating responsibility to overburdened, underfunded community services and advocates.
Women's Shelters Canada, a national non-profit organisation dedicated to ending gender based violence through advocacy, resource sharing, and research, has repeatedly called for a national action plan. Last year it was consulted by Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) and worked with a multisectoral, pan-Canadian coalition of anti-violence leaders to develop a strategic roadmap.2 That document highlighted the needs of the most marginalised victims of gender based violence and emphasised that such violence affects every facet of our society. Therefore, it is relevant not only to federal government departments such as WAGE but also to government services responsible for immigration, labour, housing, criminal justice, health, and more.2
The effects of gender based violence on physical and mental health are profound and are compounded by unequal access to healthcare and support services that can respond appropriately to incidents of violence.3 This is particularly an issue for women, transgender people, and gender diverse people facing barriers associated with race and Indigeneity, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or living in rural and remote communities.2 These social inequities were laid bare by the covid-19 public health crisis, which was a stark reminder that a coherent and equitable response to a pandemic requires commitment from every sector and level of government...
Language: en |