The Learning Network at Western University's Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children (CREVAWC) is holding a Knowledge Exchange to address how oppressions shape diverse experiences of violence.
The event, titled Gender-Based Violence Work in Context: Addressing Structural Violence and Promoting Agency, is scheduled for Tuesday, October 8 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Lamplighter Inn, London, Ont.
It will cover a range of topics connected to gender-based violence (GBV) including law, media, child services, resiliency, and grassroots advocacy. The invited speakers will to bring particular attention to these topics through the insights and experiences of Indigenous Peoples, People of Colour, Immigrants and Refugees, LGBTQ2S individuals, and people living with disabilities.
CREVAWC's work serves as a bridge between the knowledge of community service providers and interdisciplinary scholarship in the field of GBV. This event is one of several initiatives that the Learning Network leads. The Learning Network also produces reports and publications on issues within the field, as well as webinars featuring new perspectives and emerging research and resources related to GBV.
In describing the purpose and motivation for addressing this topic, the organizers explain, "we are aware of oppressions, and how they affect people's lives, but often when it comes to our day-to-day practice, it is hard to know how best to translate this awareness into effective support for those who experience gendered violence-especially when that violence interconnects with systems of racism, colonialism, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism. This event is an opportunity to address these challenges in ways that empower people with lived experience of violence, as well as advocates and service providers alike."
