As a feminist organization, the FIQ made it its mission to address issues that women face within its organization. Like any type of violence, workplace violence is influenced by gender socialization and sexist stereotypes. The Women’s Network activists met on October 24 and 25 to discuss workplace violence from a feminist perspective. This type of violence tends to manifest between people who are connected through…

One of the goals of the last Network was to create a space where women could discuss the violence they witness or experience in the workplace. The workshops made it clear that there’s no shortage of examples. Indeed, the activists in attendance spoke of many situations they must face: intimidation, rifts, jealousy, humiliation, increased monitoring, information that is held back thus creating dangerous situations, etc.…

Workplace violence, like any violence women are exposed to, is influenced by socialization, i.e., learning gender-specific roles and responsibilities. Sexist and sexual stereotypes are one way we learn these behaviours. As such, we must take them into consideration when addressing violence-related issues. Consequently, in addition to the tools available to the members, e.g., grievances and the Safe Staffing Form, any strategies that are proposed to…

Mobilization is needed to fight violence. We can gain inspiration from the many international examples available. The Status of Women Committee gave a presentation on the struggles and actions of several women from around the world. From Lebanon, to Rwanda to Iceland, women have come together to speak up about their own experiences. They got very creative in their actions: creating wedding dresses out of…