Prevention of Violence Against Women Week April 19 - 26, 2009

Urban Women’s Anti-Violence Strategy

In recent months Vancouver and the province of British Columbia has experienced a death by a thousand cuts as services and the network of support for women survivors of violence are being dismantled. Further the pursuit of liberation and equality for women remains elusive as systemic policies and practices are regressing while violence against women continues as an epidemic.

In unprecedented form, the feminist women's organizations in Vancouver have joined together to host an event series during Prevention of Violence Against Women Week April 19 - 26, 2009. Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter, Act II Safe Choice, Women Against Violence Against Women, YWCA Munroe House and Battered Women's Support Services will host a series of ground breaking and thought provoking events which are designed to engage our communities to prevent violence, to ensure the that women's support services remain intact and to work for systemic change.

On behalf of the over 8,000 women who access Battered Women's Support Services each year I ask that you join us during this week and further assist us to get the word out, please forward this email to all your contacts. Finally we ask that you join the effort to eliminate violence against women.

If you require additional information please check out the event on Battered Women's Support Services Face book group page, see our website at www.bwss.org , email me at strategicinterventions@bwss.org or call me at 604-687-1613.

Thanks in advance and...peace,
Angela Marie MacDougall

Prevention of Violence Against Women Week Event Series

Because Women Are Fighting For Critical and Essential Feminist Services including:

Battered Women’s Support, Rape Crisis Centres and Transition Houses

All Events are Free and Open to the Public

Monday April 20, 2009. 7pm. Montmartre Café, 4362 Main St.

Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter launches
The Johns : Sex for Sale and the Men Who Buy It

with author Victor Malarek and UBC law professor, Janine Benedet

Tuesday April 21, 2009. 7pm. Bean Around the World, 3598 Main St.

Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter, YWCA Munroe House and Act II Safe Choice host
Rewriting Our Own Futures: Words from Women of Vancouver Transition Houses
with ex-residents from transition houses and singer songwriter Kate Reid

Wednesday April 22, 2009. 7pm. Montmartre Café, 4362 Main St.

Battered Women’s Support Services and WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre host
Community Engagement in Violence Prevention. Tough Guise: Violence Media and the Crisis in Masculinity
Film/panel discussion applying a feminist analysis to involving men/boys in anti-violence work with Irene Tsepnopoulos-Elhaimer, Angela MacDougall, Hari Alluri and Curtis Clearsky and with performances by Kia Kidiri, JB The First Lady & Christie Lee

Thursday April 23, 2009. 7pm. Our Town Café, 245 East Broadway.

Vancouver Rape Relief and Womens’ Shelter and WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre host
Bad Dates, Campus Creepers and Drug Rapes
with Aboriginal Women’s Action Network, Antigone Magazine and BC Women’s Hospital Sexual Assault Centre

Friday, April 24, 2009 3 pm Location TBA

Battered Women’s Support Services host

You Can Bet Your Maple Leaf On That - Violence Against Women & 2010 Olympics

Battered Women’s Support Services announces anti-violence prevention strategy pre, during and post 2010 Olympics

Saturday April 25, 2009. 7pm. Our Town Café, 245 East Broadway.

Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter hosts
Olympics 2010: Women in Sport, women as Sport
with Exploited Voices Educating, Aboriginal Women’s Action Network and Sports Journalist, Laura Robinson

Battered Women's Support Services

BWSS on Facebook