SACHA
75 McNab Street South, 3rd Floor L8P 3C1 Hamilton, ON, Canada

Ableism is gendered violence. Women with disabilities are four times more likely to have experienced a sexual assault than women without disabilities. We know the increasing a person’s dependence on caregivers and partners and limiting their financial independent and security put them at risk of sexual violence and abuse yet our society continues to routinely put women with disabilities in this very position. For example, in Ontario a person with a disability can lose their s...upport benefits after living with a partner for only three months. SACHA is in solidarity with disabled survivors who continue to lead the movements for disability justice, rights, and freedom. From the Disabled Women’s Network of Canada’s Fact sheer (found here: https://www.dawncanada.net//English-Violence-January-2014.) Violence against women with disabilities shares common characteristics with violence against women in general. Women with disabilities also experience forms of abuse that women without disabilities do not. Violence against women and girls with disabilities is not just a subset of gender-based violence - it is an intersectional category dealing with gender -based and disability-based violence. The confluence of these two factors results in an extremely high risk of violence against women with disabilities. Women with disabilities experience a wider range of emotional, physical and sexual abuse: by personal attendants and by health care providers, as well as higher rates of emotional abuse both by strangers and other family members Today is the International Day of the Elimination of Violence against Women. We know that violence against women comes in many forms. Our society only views very limited narratives of physical partner abuse and sexual assault as violence but we know that violence against women does not conform to only a few narratives. We also know that oppression is violence and that without ending all oppression we cannot end gender-based violence and sexual violence. Today we want to bring awareness to the many forms of violence disproportionately and uniquely affecting women and provide resources that can be used to further our collective understanding of violence against women.

Check out this program being led by The Westdale and supported by SACHA! This program is open to all woman, and there are 12 spaces available for participation. No experience is necessary to register, there is no cost, and workshops will be held on ‘Zoom’ every Monday at 11 am beginning Monday, November 23. You can sign up today by emailing Becca Program Coordinator of the This Is Me project at [email protected]... So what is the project? The This Is Me project, which will link media artists Emmy Pantin and Jennifer LaFontaine with survivors of violence against women in a collaborative experience, creating digital storytelling videos. This program will be done through online workshops utilizing the ‘Zoom’ platform and media arts software; a premiere of the final films will take place at The Westdale on the Big Screen and will be followed with a community talk discussing violence against women. Inspired by the principles of collaboration, interconnectedness, community inclusion and engagement, self-expression, and social commentary. This Is Me will empower and engage participants and encourage them to share their voice, taking an active role in their community. SACHA staff will be available at sessions biweekly to provide active listening support. For more information: http://thewestdale.ca/this-is-me/

Land violence is gendered violence. Violence against the land is intrinsically tied to violence against Indigenous women and girls. We know that extractive industries lead to higher rates of sexual violence against Indigenous women and girls. SACHA is in solidarity with the many communities of Indigenous peoples who continue to protect and care for the land and water and fight to end violence against all Indigenous people.... From Violence on the Land, Violence of Our Bodies: Building an Indigenous Response to Environmental Violence (a report in partnership of Women’s Earth Alliance and Native Youth Sexual Health Network found here: http://landbodydefense.org//files/VLVBReportToolkit2016.pdf) Now more than ever, those working at the intersection of environmental and reproductive justice need to address issues of sexual violence. In order to increase the recognition of free, prior, and informed consent over Indigenous territories we need to simultaneously build up the ways that consent is supported around people’s bodies. If discussions are taking place about violations of industry on Indigenous lands, we should also be talking about the violations of people’s bodies. We cannot have healthy families, communities, and nations on the land while people’s bodies continue to experience violence. It is through listening to survivors of violence, asking them about solutions to land violations, and building in teachings about consent that we will have healthy nations. Mainstream anti-violence and sexual assault solutions do not address environmental violence. The only way that we will address violence on Indigenous lands and Indigenous peoples themselves is to support these two issues coming together and mobilizing responses. Today is the International Day of the Elimination of Violence against Women. We know that violence against women comes in many forms. Our society only views very limited narratives of physical partner abuse and sexual assault as violence but we know that violence against women does not conform to only a few narratives. We also know that oppression is violence and that without ending all oppression we cannot end gender-based violence and sexual violence. Today we want to bring awareness to the many forms of violence disproportionately and uniquely affecting women and provide resources that can be used to further our collective understanding of violence against women.

Trans Day of Remembrance is tomorrow, we are thankful for the amazing folks at Kyle's Place and speqtrum Hamilton for creating these spaces for trans folks

Homelessness is gendered violence. Women who are homeless face unique challenge and barriers. We also know that women face different circumstances, including an increased risk of sexual violence, that can lead to homelessness. SACHA is in solidarity with the residents outside of City Hall who are showing their love for our communities, for those experiencing houselessness, who are calling for safe, dignified, free housing for all. ... From Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape’s Report (found here: https://pcar.org//pages-pdf/poverty_and_sexual_violence.pdf) on Poverty and Sexual Violence: Sexual violence can jeopardize a person’s economic wellbeing, often leading to homelessness In turn, living without one’s basic needs met can increase a person’s risk for sexual victimization. Perpetrators of sexual violence target individuals who seem vulnerablewhether due to gender, age, race, disability, sexual orientation, immigration status, income, or other reason; they exploit survivors caught in Catch-22 situations created by poverty. Poverty is among the root causes of sexual violence and has a daily presence in the lives of many survivors. Today is the International Day of the Elimination of Violence against Women. We know that violence against women comes in many forms. Our society only views very limited narratives of physical partner abuse and sexual assault as violence but we know that violence against women does not conform to only a few narratives. We also know that oppression is violence and that without ending all oppression we cannot end gender-based violence and sexual violence. Today we want to bring awareness to the many forms of violence disproportionately and uniquely affecting women and provide resources that can be used to further our collective understanding of violence against women.

You still have time to sign up for this awesome program with the The Westdale! For those interested to know you will be able to tell the story you want to tell, as much or as little as you chose and at your own pace! No video editing experience is necessary, you will be guided through the process of developing these skills. While this is not a support group but a place for survivors to share their story with other survivors and a larger audience if you choose. Some survivor...s find that this can be helpful in their healing journey. The story you tell can be about gender based violence or about other aspects of your life. This program is starting Monday so reach out to Becca Dowden, Program Coordinator, This Is Me by emailing [email protected] to learn more or sign up

On this, the last day of Trans Awareness Week 2020 we are excited to announce that a counseling group for Trans, Non-Binary, and Two-Spirit folks is in the works at SACHA! This will be a space for gender diverse people who have experienced trauma, including but not limited to sexual violence, gender-based violence, abuse, transphobia, transmisogyny, binarism, and cissexim. Intake will begin in January 2021. Stay tuned to our social media (@SACHAhamont) for more information t...o come and share this information with folks who you think would like to know about this group. For general information about SACHA counselling group visit: www.sacha.ca/services/counselling

Today on Trans Day of Remembrance we remember the Two-Spirit, Trans, Non-Binary and Gender Diverse folks who have lost their lives because of transphobic violence. We have to acknowledge that most are women of colour and that transmisogyny and racism are deadly. Today we grieve together and reaffirm our commitment to fight to end transphobic violence, racism, and oppression and also acknowledge the ongoing resiliency and power of trans communities. #TDOR #TDOR2020

Looking for something you can do to make a difference? Most folks in #HamONT don’t know about SACHA’s work supporting survivors and working to end violence and that needs to change! Tell someone you know about SACHA and help us let survivors know they are not alone!